


A Howl in the Night

by emeraldharry



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 16-Year-Old Harry Styles, Action, Alpha Liam Payne, Alpha Louis Tomlinson, Alpha Niall Horan, Alpha Zayn Malik, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Bottom Harry, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Louis Tomlinson Calls Harry Styles Pet Names, M/M, Mating, Omega Harry, Protective Louis Tomlinson, Smut, Sweet Harry, Top Louis Tomlinson, Wolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:01:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 46
Words: 118,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21539422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emeraldharry/pseuds/emeraldharry
Summary: They've been trained to become Alpha protectors of their city, tasked to battle gruesome beasts and put their lives at risk on a daily basis.Louis is a skilled warrior and dedicates his life for the protection of others, along with his four adopted brothers and comrades; Zayn, Liam, Niall, and Harry.Troubles emerge when Harry proves to be a little less like the older Alphas, finding it hard to become who he's supposed to be and failing to reach other people's expectations towards him as a soldier.Somewhere along the way, Louis and Harry realize that there's more than brotherly love between them, and that the world they live in requires a whole lot of suffering and sacrifices.The biggest challenge yet arrives when the choice finally comes down between two things: their love for each other, or their responsibilities to the world.[alpha/beta/omega dynamics with a twist]© 2019
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Perrie Edwards/Zayn Malik
Comments: 27
Kudos: 215





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote this a few months ago and I originally posted it on Wattpad, but I decided to post it here as well because some people prefer to read on ao3.
> 
> This is my first larry fic! Please be kind and let me know what you think <3
> 
> Anyway, I'm quite proud of this 100k baby, so here it goes...

As soon as the signal was given, Louis was leaping towards Liam, fists first. Liam was quick to dodge his strike, side-stepping so suddenly that Louis nearly crashed into the wall beside him. Before Louis could spin around, Liam grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him hard onto the ground, his entire body aching from its impact with the cement. 

Louis could hear Liam's growl as the slightly younger man dashed towards him once again, perhaps to deliver a blow to Louis' face, but this time, Louis rolled off his position quick enough that Liam's fist ended up colliding with the cold ground. Louis leapt onto his feet and swung his fist at his opponent while he was distracted. Liam retracted and tried for a hit, followed by several others, but his aim was weak and was always overpowered by the force he put into every punch, making it uncoordinated.

His father had always told him to stay focused during a fight, but it wouldn't be Louis if he didn't insert a few conversations here in there in the midst of it.

"How're you holding up, Payno?" Louis said between pants, waiting carefully for the right moment to strike.

Liam had always had the same flaw—he thinks he's a machine. The man continued to punch and strike, and though Louis caught some bruises from his fists, it made more damage to Liam more than anything else, seeing as his opponent was already tiring, his swings coming in much slower and less-coordinated than before.

"I'm just fine. Can't say the same for you." Liam said, eyes shining with determination.

Louis laughed, rolling his eyes at how competitive Liam was. Well then, he'll have to show his opponent who is truly holding up better.

Just as Liam pulled his right arm back for another strike, Louis grabbed his left arm and twisted it behind him, earning a strangled cry from the man. Then, he wrapped his arms around Liam's torso and lifted him up into the air, only to slam him down to the ground. 

As expected, Liam didn't give up just then, and hooked his foot around Louis' ankle so that he was swept off his feet—quite literally—and fell with his back first to the ground. They were both a panting mess, both struggling to get up and pin the other down to finally finish the fight, but of course they had to be interrupted.

Liam was on his knees when a pillow came crashing into his face, knocking him back onto the ground. Louis instantly laughed from where he was laying, eyes travelling across the room to find a familiar pair of green eyes shining mischievously. He wasn't alone, though, because just as Louis was able to sit up, his entire vision was clouded with nothing but white, and then he was on his back again.

"Fuck you all," Liam groaned as he launched the pillow blindly towards Harry and his partner in crime—Zayn, apparently—which the two easily evaded. 

Louis grabbed the pillow used on him and shoved it beneath his head instead, trying to catch his breath as he watched Harry hit Liam with another pillow, this time, repeatedly on the face. Harry's eyes were twinkling in amusement and happiness as short giggles left his mouth, his curly hair a proper mess.

"Oh, you're getting it Harry!" Liam finally said, standing up and chasing Harry around the room while the younger boy yelped in surprise and nearly stumbled as he ran.

The smile on Louis' face was quickly wiped off when a foot appeared right on top of his face, toes wriggling teasingly.

"What the fuck!" Louis jumped, rolling away from his attacker's smelly foot.

Zayn was laughing hysterically from where he was standing with one foot free of shoes or socks. Louis smacked him across the head.

"That stinked, you're disgusting." Louis grumbled.

Zayn didn't stop laughing, though, and just as Louis opened his mouth to snap at him, something collided with him from behind, nearly knocking him off his feet. He turned to find Harry on the ground, trying desperately to hide behind Louis as Liam circled him.

"Louis! Help me!" Harry was laughing, clinging onto Louis' legs like a koala.

"Alright Liam, leave the poor kid alone," Louis said with a raised eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh no, he started it!" Liam tried to grab Harry, and then Harry was running off again, this time towards the door that led outside the room.

"Shit, look at the mess. Benedict's gonna be home soon, I think we should clean up." Zayn said seriously, eyes filled with worry.

Louis internally cursed. Their father tended to overreact all the time, and it wasn't beyond him to go on an hour-long sermon if he finds them messing around when he clearly told them to practice before he left.

"Hey guys, I think we should tidy up—" Louis began, but of course, the door swung open at that very moment and their father—speak of the devil—strolled into the room, face blank and eyes cold.

Immediately, all the noise inside the room died down aside from the man's loud footsteps. Liam had managed to throw a shirt on, while Louis stood there topless and sweaty. He groaned, but then Harry was by his side instantly, handing him a fresh folded shirt.

"Thank you," Louis said warmly, smiling down at the grinning boy.

Harry gave him a dimpled smile in return, and for a moment Louis just stared at his brilliant green eyes, admiring his slightly sweaty curls that stuck to the sides of his face, some sticking out in random directions. Harry seemed to have a bit more color now than yesterday, his cheeks a bit pinkish—probably from the heat.

Zayn nudged him so hard in the gut that Louis had to hold in a very unmanly yelp. He glared at Zayn, who in return whispered, "Benedict's talking to you, twat."

Louis' head immediately snapped up, and sure enough, Benedict was staring down at him with condescending eyes from where he was leaning against the far wall.

"I'm sorry. I didn't hear what you—"

"I asked you how your training sessions went. I assume you've finished it, since you all decided that fooling around like a bunch of toddlers was appropriate now." Benedict said flatly.

Louis nodded. "Uh, yeah. Liam and I have finished—"

"What about the others? Zayn? Harry? And where on earth is Niall? He should've been back from his assignment now." Benedict said, now pacing back and forth.

"I don't know about Niall, but Harry and I have been practicing as well. We finished early, that's why we, uh, came here." Zayn said.

Benedict snorted, scrolling mindlessly through his phone. "Finished early? Well, has there been any improvement with Harry's performance, then? Can he at least go into a battle without tripping on air this time?"

Beside him, Louis could feel Harry's head drop, curling into himself as if he wanted to make himself smaller. Louis wrapped an arm around the younger boy's shoulder, squeezing his arm gently in a way to reassure him. Harry kept his eyes on the ground, though.

No one could deny the fact that Harry was—well, to put it nicely, a late-bloomer. Louis, Liam, Zayn, and Niall have all presented as Alphas when they were only sixteen, and even before they presented, they've all been doing well in practice combats and trainings. Harry, being the youngest among the five of them, had only been thirteen years old then. It must've been hard for the young boy to catch up and cope with them through the years. Benedict's expectations towards Harry's performance rose constantly according to the other four boys' achievements, which wasn't fair at all. And so, now that Harry was finally sixteen, Benedict probably expected him to be as good and well-trained as his four nineteen-year-old brothers. 

Unfortunately, that wasn't going so well.

"Hm? Have you got nothing to say, boy?" Benedict said after a moment of silence, his dark eyes leaving the screen of his phone and finding Harry's frightened green ones.

"Jaron says I'm learning…" Harry trailed off, voice small.

"Apparently, you've been learning for the past ten years, but I fail to see any proof of that." Benedict said calmly, though Louis didn't miss the slight edge to his voice.

"He's trying his best. I've seen him." Louis spoke up, tightening his hold on the younger boy.

"Yeah," Liam chimed in, "he's definitely working really hard."

Benedict stared at them for a moment, eyes flitting from one boy to another, before sighing and clapping his hands together. "Very well. I'll be expecting a lot then, Harry, by the time you present. After that, you can finally join your brothers in their assignments if you prove yourself fit enough to be part of those."

Harry nodded meekly, still failing to look Benedict in the eyes. Louis felt him release a long breath. Just then, Benedict walked past them, halting right in front of Harry. He paused, looked him up and down before saying, "Do something about that wild hair. And be more…Alpha-like. When you present, you'll have to be able to project properly. Or else those beasts will sense your vulnerability and you'll be the very first one they'll feast on."

Harry kept his eyes on the ground still, even as Benedict lifted his gaze from the boy and stormed out of the room. For a moment, the four of them just stood there, until Liam spoke up.

"It's alright, Haz. You know him. He doesn't mean to hurt you." Liam said, giving him a quick hug.

"It's fine." Harry mumbled, eyes still on the ground.

Louis smiled sadly at the other lads, and they took that as a cue to leave. As soon as the door closed, Louis clapped Harry's shoulder firmly, shaking him.

"Come on now, don't let him ruin your day." Louis said, leading Harry towards the tall windows that filled the walls of the practice room.

They settled down on the ground, and Louis just watched as Harry looked out the window, the brilliant moon casting a silver glow over his skin.

"He doesn't ruin my day. He reminds me of what I already know." Harry said, eyes still trained on the dark sky outside.

"Which is?"

"That…I'm a failure. He expects so much from me. Expects me to be as good as you guys. I'm just—I'm not. And that's not an option for him."

"Hey," Louis begins gently, locking Harry's hand in his, "you're not a failure. Since when is meeting his expectations a basis of your worth? We all go through things differently. Okay, maybe you're struggling with combat fighting, but that doesn't mean anything. You're good at so many other things. You know that."

"But those other things don't matter to him." Harry said, finally looking at him.

"It doesn't matter what matters to him." Louis said firmly. "We're here for you. That's all that matters."

For a moment, they just stare out the window in silence, lost in their own thoughts. Louis wasn't used to seeing Harry like this. He was always vibrant and energetic, like a walking ball of sunshine, but as soon as Benedict entered to the room or his name was mentioned, all that is immediately drained out of him. And Louis hated it so much.

"Louis?" Harry said, voice small.

"Hm?"

"What if… what if I don't present as an Alpha?" 

Harry looked up at him with desperate eyes, but hopeful and trusting ones as well, as if Louis knew the answer to everything. As if Louis could fix all this if things went wrong. And as much as Louis would like to think of himself as some sort of superhero to Harry, it was too far from reality.

Benedict had adopted the five of them when they were barely toddlers so that they could be good soliders and carry Benedict Winter's name as one of the greatest warriors to ever live. He adopted them with the objective to train them and make them strong soldiers at his disposal. The only way to satisfy that, was to become a powerful, well-trained Alpha.

Louis didn't know what Benedict would do if Harry didn't present as an Alpha. Or maybe he did know, but he just didn't want to acknowledge it or think of it in any way.

"Harry, no matter what you present as, if you're an Alpha, Beta, even an Omega, we're your family. We will always love you, and nothing will change that. I promise." Louis said with all the sincerity he could muster, because he really did mean every word. Maybe he wasn't sure what Benedict would do, but he was certain that he, Zayn, Liam, and Niall wouldn't care whatever Harry presented as. That was the one thing he was certain of.

Very slowly, Harry smiled. It was a small, barely-there smile, but it still warmed Louis' heart. Louis pulled the smaller boy towards him so that Harry's head was snuggled into his neck, while he wrapped both of his arms around Harry's figure. 

Louis wasn't certain about a lot of things in his life, but if there was one thing he was sure of, it was the fact that he planned to protect and have Harry in his life for as long as he lived.


	2. Chapter 2

Louis had been ignoring the person knocking on his bedroom door for what felt like hours, and yet, the person still wouldn't give up.

He rolled over onto his stomach and covered his head with pillows, very much not appreciating the noisiness at such an ungodly hour. He willed the person to take a hint and go away, but that was apparently impossible.

"Louis! Get your ass up!"

Louis' response was a low, very much pissed growl. "Why the fuck do I need to get up at four in the morning, Zayn?"

"It's Niall! He's hurt!"

At that, Louis' eyes snapped open. Instantly, all the blankets and covers were thrown off of his body and then he was on his feet, racing to the door. He swung it open, revealing an exhausted Zayn with his arm up, ready to knock.

"Come on," Louis said.

They walked down the halls silently and quickly, and then they were downstairs at the infirmary. The first thing Louis noticed was Harry who was sitting at the foot of one of the beds, which he soon realized was occupied by Niall. When they got closer, he realized that Harry was tending to a wound on his left leg—a large, harsh red line cutting through his pale skin.

"Niall, what happened?" Louis asked urgently, taking in the numerous wounds and scars all over Niall's face and arms.

Suddenly, someone shoved him out of the way—it was Liam, as it turned out—who began applying some sort of ointment on Niall's wounds. He must've been doing it wrong, because Niall hissed and swatted his arm away.

"I'm trying to help you!" Liam said in exasperation.

"Well, I'd rather you not then." Niall said, wincing as he moved his arm.

"You ingrate—"

"Hey, I'll do it. It's fine," Harry said distractedly, taking the bottle of ointment from Liam's hands.

This time, Harry used a clean piece of cloth to apply the medicine and also bandaged it up. Liam, Zayn, and Louis just stood around the bed with anxious expressions, jittery but unsure of how they could help. Harry seemed to be doing pretty well on his own—the cut on Niall's leg had been cleaned, tended, and wrapped up, and now Harry was busy healing his smaller scars and bruises. Niall had his eyes closed now, looking relaxed and at peace compared to how panicked and pain-stricken he'd looked only a few moments ago. Harry's lips were subtly moving, perhaps whispering comforting words that only Niall could hear. Louis just watched in awe, because Harry might not be the best fighter out there, but they'd definitely all be dead without him.

"Can someone tell me what happened?" Louis asked tiredly, eyes flitting between Liam and Zayn.

"It was really bad, apparently," Zayn began as he pinched the bridge of his nose—something he always did when he was frustrated, "Niall was sent out for that assignment along with the McCarter twins. When he got here, all bloody and injured, he kept on telling me to send help for the three other guys. Said they were still in trouble."

The McCarter twins—Louis remembered them very well. They were close friends of Benedict's, and he'd also met them a few months ago when they came to visit. All Louis knew was that those twins were very able and built—if there was anything that those Alphas couldn't handle, then Louis and his brothers should be worried.

"What attacked them, then? How is it different from those other assignments?" Louis asked, voice louder than he intended out of frustration.

"It was an ambush attack." 

They all turned to find Niall sitting up on the bed, while Harry was sat right beside him, holding his hand comfortingly. 

"What? Ambushed by who?" Liam said, running a hand through his hair.

"Not who, what." Niall said tiredly. "The same beasts we fight off everyday. Only this time, there was a whole lot of them. Like—a lot. It was almost as if they had brains of their own. I've…I've never seen them so organized and coordinated. It didn't make sense. They didn't fall for our traps like they usually do. I don't know what, but something happened. Something changed."

They were silent after that, soaking in Niall's words. Louis had never heard of any occurrence like this before. These beasts were animalistic and spontaneous, not organized and strategic. And then, what? Those beasts had been the one to lure in the Alphas and attack them instead of the other way around?

"Maybe," Harry said softly, voice small and hesitant, "they're being ordered? Like, commanded by someone—"

"Harry, we all know that these beasts don't listen to anyone. They're wild and will eat anything that moves. It's not possible." Liam said dismissively.

"I know it sounds far off, but in the books there's this powerful being with that ability. They can control beasts and Alphas alike—" Harry tried to explain.

"Are you serious right now? Can't you separate your fairytale books from factual ones, Harry? Those are children's stories!" Liam said in disbelief.

Harry pursed his lips, slumping his shoulders and shifting his gaze to the ground as he went pink in embarrassment. Niall gave him a friendly pat on the back before turning back to glare at Liam.

"Do you have to be a dick about it, then?" Louis spoke up, jaw clenched at Liam.

Liam opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it and clamped it shut. He sighed and rubbed his palms over his face. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry Harry, I just—It's all very stressing and I just want answers so badly. I'm sorry."

Harry momentarily looked up at Liam, but only for a second, because he was back to staring at the ground again. Louis wanted to punch something—preferably someone, and preferably Liam—but now was not the time.

"You know what, we're all tired an in shock. I say we wait for Benedict to return, then we'll discuss this with him. In the meantime, we can all rest." Zayn suggested calmly, eyes scanning each of their faces cautiously.

When nobody protested, he sighed. "Great. Come on Liam, I need your help with something. Niall, you good here?"

"I can stay to watch over him. His other wounds need more tending." Harry said—whispered, rather, as though he was afraid to be told off.

Zayn gave him a small nod before dragging a guilty-looking Liam out of the infirmary with him, who seemed to be a few seconds away from receiving a harsh and thorough lecture from Zayn himself.

Harry began cleaning Niall's skin, gently rubbing off the dried blood. Niall gave him a grateful smile, lifting a hand to stop Harry from what he was doing. "Haz, you need rest too. I'll be fine."

Harry frowned and looked almost offended. "No, I don't need rest. Besides, I need to check on all your wounds, especially the deep ones because there might be an infection—"

"Harry," Louis said sternly but gently from where he was watching from the door. "I think we should give Niall some time to rest. You've helped him a lot, and don't even lie, you could use a little break too."

Harry looked hesitant as his eyes flicked from Louis to Niall's bandaged wounds, but eventually, he sighed and put the wet cloth away. Niall smiled at Harry and planted a kiss on his forehead before letting Louis lead the younger boy out of the room.

For a moment, they silently walked down the mansion's empty halls, taking random and mindless turns. Louis eventually sighed and gently grabbed Harry's arm to stop him from walking any further.

"Let's go to your room, yeah?" Louis said.

Harry nodded with pursed lips and let Louis lead him to his room. Louis noticed how Harry seemed very tired as well. Judging from the bags underneath his eyes and his paler-than-usual complexion, Louis knew he'd barely had any sleep before he had to attend to Niall's needs and injuries.

When they'd made it to Harry's room, the boy was barely awake. He was swaying from side to side as his eyelids drooped, and the only thing keeping him upright was Louis' secure arms around him. Eventually, Harry was pressed up against Louis' chest, and he had to gently shake the boy awake when they were inside his room.

"You can rest now, Harry. Come on," Louis said softly, laying Harry down on his bed.

As soon as his head hit the pillow, Harry was knocked out. Louis smiled fondly, proceeding to remove his shoes. Then, he pulled up the duvet and covered Harry's small frame up until his chin (he knew how easily cold Harry always got). He sat by his side, absent-mindedly stroking his curls as his mind traveled places.

He had only been sent to a few assignments ever since Benedict had deemed him fit enough to join the Troopers. And all through those missions, he'd remembered one thing: the beasts were a chaotic mess, animalistic and wild. The Troopers' advantage was that they had strategy, tactic, brains. Before any of those beasts could even think about taking a certain route to sneak up on a small family and eat them alive, the Troopers had already thought of that possibility and have already set traps and alarms in all the possible routes. When they returned, the beasts would be trapped and have nowhere to go—and then they would end them. 

The cycle went on and on, but never had the beast gotten the upper hand. If what Niall said was true, then how was it possible that the beasts were gaining some sort if consciousness, or intelligence? How were they smart enough to corner and ambush Niall and the Troopers, how had they know where and when and how to attack?

Was what Harry suggested possible? Could there possibly be a being out there that could control those monsters?

If so, did they stand a chance now?

Louis hadn't realized that he'd fallen asleep until Harry woke him up. He had fallen asleep to his racing thoughts all stressed and vexed, but now he was waking up to Harry's bright, beautiful eyes and smile.

"Come on Lou, Benedict is calling for dinner. We have important matters to discuss." Harry said softly, simultaneously pulling Louis out of bed.

When they both arrived at the dining area, the entire family was there already, waiting for them. While Louis went straight to take his seat, Harry quickly checked on Niall and asked how he was feeling. Louis couldn't help the fond smile that took over his face. Niall looked equally enamoured and touched as well, giving Harry a quick hug before the younger boy finally took his seat beside Louis.

The maids served their food, and Louis had to pretend to eat it even though his stomach felt like it wouldn't accept any food tonight. No one spoke for the first few minutes, and all that could be heard was the clamor of utensils and plates. Just when Louis felt like he was going to explode, Benedict finally spoke.

"I have invited the Commanders to our home tomorrow to discuss the matter. Niall and the McCarter men aren't the only ones who'd experienced such an attack from the beasts. We've received several reports from all over the city that spoke of similar situations. We believe something is happening within those woods, and we plan to find out exactly what, so that we can address it and end this madness." Benedict said, eyes never leaving his plate.

Louis could feel Harry fidgeting beside him, so he put a hand on his thigh comfortingly, urging him to speak up. Harry gave him a small smile before clearing his throat.

"Have there been reports of people getting hurt? Like, after the attacks?" Harry asked nervously, but also hopefully, as though the idea of anyone else getting hurt was unspeakable.

Benedict considered this for a second before answering, "Of course. There have been more than just injuries, if that's what you're asking. Many have died. Many have been eaten alive, screaming and writhing in pain, but none of us can do anything about that now. I hear an infant was feasted upon—"

"That's enough." Louis said lowly, his hands tightening around Harry's thigh, which was now trembling. It looked like he was a second away from breaking down.

"Why, Louis, I am only presenting dear Harry with facts. If he can't even stomach the thought of these gruesome but very realistic events, how can he stand witnessing it? One can't grieve for every single death that comes. If we do that, well, we'll never be able to do anything but." Benedict explained calmly.

Louis had to take shaky deep breaths to calm himself down. He knew Benedict was doing this on purpose. Benedict knew that Harry was the most compassionate and caring person here, and he saw that as a weakness. One he wanted to destroy, along with so many other priceless qualities he overlooked for the sake of being a perfect Alpha protector.

"It's fine," Harry whispered so that only Louis could hear him. 

Louis grabbed his hand underneath the table and clutched it tightly. Harry still looked like he was on the verge of tears, but all he could do for now was comfort him.

"Who else will be joining us tomorrow, then, aside from the Commanders?" Liam asked, trying to ease the tension.

"The Troopers who have survived. We need all the information we can get about these changed beasts, and we need them as accurate as possible. I also need all the help I could get, so you lot will be with us all day, and maybe we'll figure it out together." Benedict said, wiping his mouth with a napkin before standing up and walking out of the room.

After a beat of silence, Zayn said, "Well, there's that."

Niall groaned. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow. I don't like it one bit."

Liam nodded thoughtfully. "These are dangerous times. The beasts that used to lurk in the edge of the forests have now made it into the city. It's not safe."

"What? There are beasts inside the city?" Louis said incredulously.

"They've outsmarted our traps. Search troops are being sent out, but there's a big possibility that there's one or two beasts that are good at hiding." Liam said.

For some reason, Louis' first thoughts went to Harry who was sitting beside him, absent-mindedly playing with his food. It wasn't as if Louis thought Harry was helpless and weak, he just happened to have a strong sense of protection over the younger boy. He would never forgive himself if Harry got hurt. Not that he'd ever let any of those disgusting creatures come near him.

He didn't realize he was clutching Harry's hand a bit too tightly until Harry snapped a finger in his face. "Lou?"

"Uh, what?"

Harry rolled his eyes fondly. "You sort of dazed off."

"Oh." Louis laughed in embarrassment. "Sorry."

Louis looked around the table and realized they were the only ones there.

"What were you thinking?" Harry asked, tilting his head to the side. Louis wanted to pinch his cheek.

He hesitated for a bit. "I was…thinking about how I must protect those who are important to me. Those I love."

Harry smiled at that, taking his hand into his and pulling him onto his feet. "We'll protect them together, of course. We'll fight together."

Louis smiled back, feeing warmth spread over from where Harry touched him. He cleared his throat and asked, "So, are you going to bed, Haz?"

He shook his head. "I'll be at Niall's room to make sure his wounds are healing just fine. I might make a trip to the markets tomorrow to buy some medicine and ingredients we might need."

Louis stopped on his tracks. "You're leaving tomorrow? But Benedict said we had a meeting with the Commanders—"

"We meaning you, Liam, Niall, and Zayn." Harry reminded him softly. "You know he never includes me in those stuff. It's nothing new."

"But you might have something to say—"

"And when has that mattered to him?" Harry tried to play it off as a joke, but there was a weight to his words. "It's fine, Louis. I'll probably ask Jaron to come with me to the markets. I think two people can carry the stuff I'll be buying."

Louis wanted to protest because he didn't trust Jaron—that stupid swordsman master—to keep Harry safe. He didn't trust anyone but himself to be Harry's protector.

"Harry—" Louis tried, but Harry silenced him with a kiss on his cheek. He hadn't even realized that they'd made it to Niall's room.

"It's fine, Lou. Goodnight." Harry said, followed by a dimpled smile before disappearing into the room.

His skin where Harry's lips touched his tingled with a new warmth he'd never felt before. Harry had always been one to give out kisses, even to the other boys, but somehow, this felt different. Special.

And so, Louis spent a large portion of the night lying awake on his bed, his thoughts and dreams filled with nothing but soft, curly hair, enticing, brilliant green eyes and a soft, beautiful smile.


	3. Chapter 3

Louis had barely gotten any sleep when a new day had arrived. He tiredly got out of bed and got ready for a day of endless speaking and listening. The last time he'd had a meeting like this was years ago when several Troopers had gone missing. Until this day, though, it has remained a cold case and still no answers had been found over the years.

He hoped there would be a different outcome for today's agenda.

Down in the living room, he found Zayn and Liam both dressed and ready. They both looked as exhausted as he felt, and that somehow made him feel better. Benedict was standing by one of the large windows, eyes casted over the green rolling hills which ended at the edges of the woods. In the light of the early sun, Louis could easily see the wrinkles that corrupted his once clear skin, the scars and marks that littered his face that he now wore as a badge. His hair was graying at the roots and his eyes were as dull as his personality. Louis couldn't believe that he dreamed of being just like him when he was younger. He was glad he grew up.

All heads turned when the door swung open quite noisily, and Niall emerged with an arm thrown over Harry's shoulders, trying to navigate through the living area without toppling over the furniture or each other. Harry looked so small and frail beside Niall, yet he looked more determined than ever to finish his task. The three young men immediately went over to help, seeing as Harry might actually faint from exhaustion, and settled Niall down on one of the couches.

"Thanks mates," Niall breathed, carefully lifting his injured foot and resting it on the coffee table. 

Niall looked a lot better than yesterday, from his fading scars and wounds to his healthier color, and Louis felt proud that it had been Harry who had achieved this all by himself.

They all decided to sit down as they waited (Louis shoved Zayn out of his spot next to Harry) and they all just sat there, five boys squeezed in a small couch. 

"Did you get any sleep?" Louis asked Harry, but as soon as the boy looked up at him with even darker and more prominent eye bags, Louis didn't need a verbal answer.

"Niall snores." Was all he said, and Louis laughed.

"No, seriously Harry. You shouldn't overwork yourself." Louis said.

"I'm not, Lou. Stop worrying." Harry said quietly.

"Our guests have arrived," Benedict announced, and sure enough, several cars drove past the gates and pulled up right in front of their house.

They all stood up and tried their best to straighten their clothes and get rid of as many wrinkles they could in the short amount of time the Commanders and the Troopers took to make their way inside. As much as he hated their squeaky-clean "soldier" uniform, he didn't really have much of a choice but to wear it.

His heart dropped when he realized that Harry wasn't wearing the uniform since he wasn't a Trooper yet. Instead, he was wearing a simple white shirt and a pair of fitting trousers. He hated making Harry feel left out, and if he was brave enough he would dress the same was as Harry just to make him feel that he's not alone or casted out.

Several men in clean-cut official clothes marched into the room. They all shook Benedict's hand and chatted for a bit. Louis noticed more or less ten Alpha Troopers waiting by the other side of the room. He recognized one of them—a McCarter, the one who had apparently been with Niall when the ambush happened. Except, this time, his twin was nowhere to be found. 

"Welcome, Commanders and honorable Troopers, these are my sons. They will be joining us for the meeting later." Benedict said, motioning towards them.

The Commanders all gave polite bows and handshakes as a greeting. Soon enough, they were being led towards Benedict's office where the meeting would take place. Louis felt Harry slip from underneath his arms, and when he turned, the boy was already halfway up the stairs.

"Harry," Louis called out.

Harry looked surprised. "Lou, you should be in there, what are you doing?"

Louis climbed a few steps until he was face to face with Harry. "Uh, I remember you said you're going to the markets today?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm going to get ready. Jaron might be here any minute now."

When Harry turned to leave, Louis grabbed his hand, "Hey. Promise me you'll take care?"

Harry looked at him with surprise at first, and then amusement. "Louis, I'm going to be fine. I go to the markets almost twice a month, that place is like my second home."

"Well, there have been rumors about beasts on the loose inside the city. I just—it's better to be cautious than hurt, right?" Louis said, absent-mindedly stroking Harry's arm.

"Yes, sir. I'll be very careful not to trip over a six-foot beast and provoke it to eat me whole." Harry said sarcastically.

"Okay…um, I could ask some of the guards to come with you—"

"Louis!" Harry said with a laugh, "Honestly. If it helps, I'll be with Jaron, the guy's like six feet tall and is my combat and firearm teacher. Chill out."

Louis still felt uneasy, but finally nodded. "Alright. Bring a weapon with you, okay?"

"Alright." Harry gave him a lazy smile, and then dashed up the stairs, disappearing through one of the doors.

Louis let his gaze linger for a few more moments than necessary before shaking his head and heading down, knowing that he'll probably be late for the meeting.

When he'd reached the foot of the stairs, though, a familiar face was looking at him, and by the looks of it, waiting for him.

"Hey, McCarter." Louis greeted the man, unsure of what his first name was. He was pretty sure it started with the letter A, but he couldn't risk mixing up his name with his twin brother's, considering the circumstances.

"It's Aaron, I know you're confused," the buff man said with a quiet laugh. "How have you been, Louis?"

Their footsteps echoed as they walked down the marble floor, passing several guards along the way. "Uh, just fine."

In all honesty, Louis didn't known why Aaron McCarter was speaking to him, but the guy was nice and kind and he'd only heard good stories about him, so he wasn't complaining. Still, though, it didn't lessen the awkwardness as they walked in silence.

"I didn't know anyone there, well, aside from your brother Niall. But he was busy speaking to the Head Commander, so I went to the next most familiar face." Aaron answered Louis' unvoiced question. He had an accent, Louis noticed, his pronunciations a bit more emphasized on the vowels, and sometimes come out a bit harsher.

"Well, I am honored. Niall is on medication, so, you might not be able to have a proper conversation with him." Louis said, followed by a chuckle.

After a beat, Aaron asked, "And the brunette one, the one you were talking to earlier? Your brother as well?"

Louis frowned. "Oh, Harry? Yeah, he's my adopted brother. I mean, we're all adopted..."

Louis didn't know why he was explaining this. Aaron just nodded, and he swore he saw a smirk.

"If you don't mind me asking, why is he not a Trooper?" 

"He hasn't presented yet. But we expect it'll be very soon." Louis said nonchalantly.

"Hmm. An Omega Trooper then, eh?"

Louis stopped on his tracks, jaw slack. "What?"

Aaron raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, I just like to guess. And if I'm honest, he seems like an Omega. A great one, at that. It would be nice to have an Omega Trooper. Benedict raised and trained him, I'm sure he's just as capable as any other Alpha."

Louis was trying to encrypt his words, seeing if the man was insulting them or being sarcastic, but there was none. He was being honest.

"Oh," was all Louis could say before he started walking again.

Aaron laughed. "Oh indeed. You'll be a very lucky Alpha yourself."

"Why's that?"

"Well, how many mated Alphas do you know? You'll be one of the very few." Aaron said.

Now, Louis was getting really confused. "What the hell are you talking about—"

"Harry's an Omega, you're an Alpha. You will be each other's mates. You will be lucky because Omegas are rare, they are true treasures. That's all I'm trying to say." Aaron said simply.

Aaron began walking again and Louis had to force his own feet to move again so that he could catch up with him. "What makes you think that Harry and I—"

"Why not?"

"We're brothers!"

"Adopted," Aaron said smugly, "as you emphasized quite defensively."

When they finally reached Benedict's office, Louis didn't even know what to think. He took a seat next to Liam and tried to listen to the reports and the discussions, but nothing was being absorbed by his brain. 

Damn Aaron for putting these ideas in his head. Damn him.

*

When Harry and Jaron arrived at the markets, the place was pretty packed. They navigated through the crowd, Harry clutching the list of things he'll need in his hand, while Jaron had a protective hand around his waist. When the crowd had finally thinned and they could see the stalls much easier, Harry turned to Jaron.

"Is this your first time here?" Harry asked him as he scrounged through various plants and herbs.

"Yes. I thought it would be less…messy." He replied, eyes scanning the place.

Harry laughed, tilting his head to look up at him. "Well, you might want to get used to it."

Harry shoved some herbs into a paper bag and paid the vendor before moving onto the next stall, busying himself with choosing among the rare plants and fruits.

"I'm just curious, but, why are you the one doing the shopping? You've got plenty of maids." Jaron asked, making sure Harry never left his sight.

"We have got plenty of maids, but none of them are that familiar with herbs and plants that would be needed for medicine. I don't want to have to explain everything to them either, so might as well do it myself." Harry said, plucking a fruit which looked like a purple strawberry the size of his palm. After paying, he put it into his paper bag.

"Huh." Jaron said thoughtfully. "You seem more interested in these than in our combat lessons, or even our firearm practices."

Harry just gave him a small smile. "Well, I enjoy creating stuff. Stitching up what's nearly broken and healing scars before it gets worse. I like that more than…hurting."

Jaron frowned. "Harry, you're being trained so that you can defend yourself from the beasts. If you don't hurt them—or more accurately, kill them and chop them to pieces to make sure they won't come back to life, they won't hesitate to attack you."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I know, I know. I'm just always uneasy around weapons and stuff. I told you that the first time we met for my lessons—"

"Which was like, five years ago. I thought You'd have gotten over that by now." Jaron said, grabbing one of the paper bags from Harry's arms as the boy struggled to carry them all.

"Thanks, and no, I haven't." Harry said.

Jaron shook his head, but there was a smile on his face. The boy was so focused on his list of things to buy that he was nearly run over by a wooden cart. Luckily, Jaron managed to grab Harry and shove him to the side as the cart whooshed past them.

Jaron tightened his hold on the hilt of his sword, ready to race after the man in the cart, but he felt a weak tug at his arm. He turned to find Harry glaring up at him.

"Thank you, Jaron, but please don't pick up a fight." He said sternly.

"He nearly ran you over—"

"But he didn't, thanks to you, so there's no point in that," he waved dismissively at Jaron's sword.

"But—"

"Please, let's just get everything we need so that I can pay you for your troubles with some ice cream." Harry said, crossing his arms.

Jaron rolled his eyes. "Fine."

Harry crouched down to retrieve his fallen items, but he froze when something caught his eyes just beneath the wooden cart in front of him. Gasping silently, his gaze landed on a pair of beady, glistening eyes. All of a sudden all he could hear was the pounding of his own heart, and everything was so silent that he swore he heard a low, animalistic growl. He didn't know if he was imagining it, but the pair of eyes seemed to be getting bigger and coming closer, until he could feel its acidic breath hit his trembling lips.

Oh dear god.

Louis' words echoed in his head. 'Well, there have been rumors about beasts on the loose inside the city.' Could Harry literally be the unluckiest person in the city?

"Harry?" 

Jaron noticed how Harry had gone stiff, and he followed his line of sight. The older man's breath caught when his eyes landed on a beast—a large, blood-hungry beast hiding beneath a large wooden cart. A murderous beast staring right at Harry, who was merely inches away.

"Harry, when I tell you to run, you run. Got it?" Jaron said slowly, his lips barely moving as he whispered.

Harry didn't respond, too afraid to move, but Jaron was certain he'd heard it. So, carefully, Jaron reached for his sword and unsheathed it as quietly as he could, raising it to strike as he whispered, 

"Now."


	4. Chapter 4

Louis was halfway through a dream when the doors to the office burst open with such force causing him to snap his eyes open. A Trooper stood at the door, sweaty and pale, and—was he trembling?

"Well, what is it boy?" Benedict snapped from the end of the table.

"Head Commander, th-there is currently an attack in the markets. Three or more beasts have been sighted. We need more men," the Trooper stuttered out.

Just then, Louis' blood ran cold. The markets. Harry.

Louis was out of his seat in an instant, shoving past the Trooper and dashing to his room. He hastily grabbed his weapons from his cabinet with trembling fingers, trying not to drop anything.

"Louis, what's going on?" Liam practically screamed in frustration. Zayn came stumbling into the room as well, eyes filled with concern.

Louis ignored them and continued to arm himself, until Liam spun him around and looked him in the eyes. "Louis, what are you doing? Benedict's absolutely pissed—"

"Harry's at the markets." Louis sneered, shoving his arms off of him.

"Shit."

Louis pushed them both out of his way and practically ran to his car. His hands were trembling so bad he managed to waste a good few minutes in trying to unlock his car. Just as he was frustrated enough close to tears, a hand held his, and he looked up to see Zayn.

"I got you, it's alright." Zayn said ever so calmly, taking the keys from his hands. 

He easily slipped the key inside, then opened the door to sit on the driver's seat. Before Louis could insist that he should drive, Niall was steering him to the backseat.

"It's not safe for you to drive, Louis. It's alright." Niall said as they sat down at the back.

Liam came running out of the mansion and sat down in the passenger's seat, beside Zayn. Before Liam could even properly close the door, Zayn was already speeding down the road, probably breaking several laws as they did so.

*

"Harry, when I tell you to run, you run. Got it?" Jaron said slowly, his lips barely moving as he whispered.

Harry didn't respond, too afraid to move, but Jaron was certain he'd heard it. So, carefully, Jaron reached for his sword and unsheathed it as quietly as he could, raising it to strike as he whispered, 

"Now."

Harry was as quick as the wind, gone in the blink of an eye. Just as anticipated, the beast leaped right after Harry who hadn't gotten that far, but then Jaron's sword was standing between the beast and the boy. With a single strike, the blade sliced across its face, right between its eyes. A deep, gurgling howl of pain left its mouth, and at that moment Jaron grabbed Harry by the arm and practically threw him across the room, as far as he could. And then, Jaron stroke with his blade again.

Harry landed on the concrete ground with a harsh thud, rolling over to the side and covering his head with his arms as soon as chaos took over the markets. People were screaming and shouting for their lives, and as they ran, none of them noticed or cared for Harry on the ground, struggling to escape the middle of a stampede.

With all the strength he had, Harry tucked himself beneath one of the wooden stalls and closed his eyes tightly for a moment, trying to will the pain in his head and all over his body away. He was certain that he was bleeding in several places, but that was the least of his problems right now. He tried to sit up and move but his vision spun so hard, he thought his eyeballs might pop out. From where he was hidden, he could hear Jaron's yells, as well as the sound of his cries and his blade. Harry couldn't let Jaron face this battle alone, not when Harry could very much help.

With trembling limbs and a pounding head, Harry crawled out from beneath the stall and looked around, spotting Jaron and the beast only a few feet away. Jaron was skilled and knew what he was doing, easily fighting the beast off. For a moment, Harry wondered if he should just watch and let Jaron finish the fight since he was clearly winning it anyway, when another dark figure appeared just in his line of sight.

Right behind Jaron crept another beast—this one even larger with even more vicious eyes. Its black fur was matted with blood, its silver teeth glinting in all its glory. Jaron had no idea there were two beasts surrounding him. 

Jaron was going to die.

Without thinking twice, Harry leaped from his hiding spot and pulled out his only weapon—a small dagger he'd randomly picked from his cabinet just to shut Louis up about keeping safe and bringing a weapon. Well, thank goodness for that.

Harry tried to run but his limbs weren't cooperating. He nearly toppled over twice along the way, and he realized with a sinking feeling that he wouldn't make it in time. The second beast was stealthily making its way towards Jaron, careful not to make any noise as Jaron focused solely on the other beast. Harry watched in horror as the second beast took its stance, ready to pounce.

His arms moved on its own accord, and then the next thing he knew, he was launching the dagger in his hand through the air, towards the beast which was a second away from ripping his friend to shreds.

The dagger landed in between the beast's shoulder blades, and then it howled in pain, its eyes shining in malice as it looked up to find a frozen, pale boy a few feet away from him. Harry didn't know what to feel when the beast began walking towards him, its large claws scraping across the ground as it got closer.

Well, at least Jaron was going to live.

Harry slowly backed up, taking a cautious step backward for every step forward the beast took. Harry found himself staring at the beast, taking in its details. They looked so much like wolves, only quadruple its size. The beasts' eyes also vary in color. The first one had dark, obsidian black ones, while this one had nearly blue ones. 

"Harry!"

He could hear Jaron's yells, but it seemed so far away. The longer he stared at the beast's eyes, the more calm he felt. The eyes looked so…out of place. They weren't monstrous or dangerous, they were just eyes. Ordinary, normal eyes.

Harry had never truly understood himself, which explains why he didn't know what he was doing when he knelt in front of the beast, so that their eyes were level. Suddenly, it wasn't a beast in front of him anymore. Something else. Or someone…

Whatever connection he found, whatever link he thought was there, disappeared like a switch. Suddenly, the beast was leaping at him, and then he was on the ground hitting his head hard. Harry could barely breathe beneath the beast's weight, hopelessly staring up at it as it caged him between its claws.

There was a familiar yell, and then the sound of a blade meeting flesh. The beast on top of him howled in pain, and Harry felt liquid trickling all over him, blocking his vision. It smelled metallic, perhaps blood. For a moment, the beast removed its weight from Harry and he was able to breathe. But then he watched as the beast swung its tail, knocking Jaron off his feet, making him fall on his head.

Jaron stayed still after that, unmoving.

Harry's nerves froze in fear as the beast crawled back on top of him, and wasn't sure but he might've been crying, might've been begging the monster to spare him. Or, he might've laid completely still, eyes still searching the beast's.

The last thing he remembered for certain was the beast's loud, ear-splitting howl, directed right at his face.

*

Louis was dashing into the markets as soon as his feet hit the ground. He'd passed several Troopers taking care of one beast, but with two more on the loose with Harry nowhere in sight, Louis wasn't giving up. 

He remembered Liam saying something about splitting up to cover more ground, but Louis could barely listen. All he heard was the thunderous beating of his heart. All he could see was Harry's face. All he could think about was what he'd do to himself if he couldn't save Harry.

Louis continued running, bumping shoulders with sobbing people, some bloody and injured. They were running away from something, so Louis kept on running towards whatever it was. Hopefully, it was the beast.

"Over here!"

Louis head snapped to the side at the sound of Zayn's voice, seeing him dashing towards a certain spot. Louis was running towards the same direction soon enough, catching up with Zayn and eventually arriving there first.

Louis' mouth went dry, his chest heaving wildly as he took in the scene. Jaron was flat on his back, unconscious. And a few feet away from him was a large, dark-furred beast. And beneath it, Louis could see Harry's shoes.

He froze for a moment, his body forgetting how to function out of shock and dread. But then Zayn and Liam were charging at the beast, swinging their swords at it. Louis could see Harry's dagger sticking out from its back, right beneath the back of its neck where the kill-zone should be. Harry had missed.

Almost as if he was brought back to earth, he dashed towards the beast, mounting its back as Zayn and Liam kept its attention. He pulled Harry's dagger out and aimed for the back of the neck, the easiest spot to kill any beast, but then his eyes met Harry's over the beast's shoulder. The boy was covered in blood, but his eyes were slightly open, and he was staring right at Louis.

He was shaking his head.

Years of living with a person teaches you to read their thoughts and actions. Louis was certain that Harry was stopping him from slaying this beast. The reason for that request was way beyond him, but Louis swallowed and nodded. He leapt off the beast's back just as it ran, leaving his two very confused brothers to stare after it.

Immediately, Louis was at Harry's side. Zayn and Liam were on either side of him as well, and none of them were cut out for something like this.

"H-harry," Louis whispered, eyes blurring with tears when he realized that Harry was now unconscious and soaked with blood. 

"Find the wound! We can stop the bleeding if we find it!" Liam tried, feeling around Harry's body for any wound where the blood could be coming from.

Zayn had gone completely pale and unresponsive, simply gaping at his little brother with glassy eyes.

And Louis knew that this sight would forever be carved into his brain to haunt him every night. A sight that would remind him of how he'd failed the person he loved the most. 

"He's breathing, he's still breathing…" Liam said. "There, I feel his pulse."

Niall was suddenly there as well, eyes widening as his eyes landed on Harry. "Holy fuck. What the fuck."

"I, I brought the healers." Niall said weakly after a moment of silence, reaching for Harry's arm. 

Soon enough, several robed women took Harry from them, (a pair having to forcibly remove Louis' clutch on the boy) and assured them that they would do everything in their power to heal him.

And then, it was just the four of them on the bloody cement floor of the markets. None of them spoke as they walked back to their car and drove home.

This time, there was no Harry to greet them upon their return.


	5. Chapter 5

In the silence of the room, the sharp sound of his father's slap echoed. Louis pressed his lips to keep his mouth shut as his father leered at him.

"You disobeyed me." Benedict said lowly, voice dangerous.

"Your son was dying in the markets—"

Another slap sounded and echoed through the room. Benedict leaned over his table so that his face were mere inches away from Louis'.

"If he cannot defend himself from a single beast, then I would gladly not call him my son." He sneered.

And this was the hardest thing Louis had ever had to do. His entire body was tingling, every part of him was begging him to fight back, to hit this man and hurt him for what he'd done to Harry and how he treated Harry. But he shouldn't, because Benedict is a powerful man and would always find ways to come right back at you. He had to remind himself that Harry was still in this mansion, and if Louis so much as spoke up against him, Benedict would kick him out and he wouldn't be able to see the boy.

So, no matter how much his palms were bleeding from how tight his hands were fisted, he kept his mouth shut. He kept his fists underneath the table. He kept his sword in its sheath.

"Get out of my face!" Benedict yelled, shoving several books and picture frames off his table and sending it all to the ground.

Louis looked him in the eyes with all the anger he felt before standing up and stiffly walking out of the room, slamming the door shut as he did so.

The mansion was no longer vacant like it had always been for months. Troopers and Commanders alike strolled past him across the halls, meetings taking place in several rooms. Since Benedict was the Head Commander, he wanted his people close enough to him so that he could discuss the situation and address the numerous problems and threats the city was facing, which is why the mansion now served as some sort of Headquarters.

Louis unclenched his fists as he walked, feeling the sting of the crescent-shaped scars on his palms. He saw Liam from a distance, completely dressed and armed. He was talking to one of the Commanders, looking glum.

"Liam? Can I speak to you?" Louis interrupted.

Liam quietly apologized to the Commander—Stephen, Louis recognized—before walking away, Louis falling into a step beside him.

"Do you have an assignment?" Louis asked.

"I'm joining the search parties. Our list of missing persons just got longer, especially after the incident in the markets yesterday. Aren McCarter, though, Aaron's twin is still on top of our list. He's been gone for days." Liam said, sounding as exhausted as he looked.

"Zayn and Niall?" Louis said, avoiding a Trooper who nearly toppled him over.

"Niall still needs to recover form his injuries, he's with Harry. Zayn's probably at the weapons room, I'm not sure he's been given an assignment." Liam supplied.

They stopped at the mansion's main doors as Liam typed on his phone. He then looked up at Louis with a sympathetic smile.

"Benedict was that bad?" Liam asked.

"The only thing he got out of what happened yesterday was that we walked out of the meeting without his permission, and that Harry apparently couldn't fend for himself. Even Jaron, that fucking giant was knocked out! Harry wasn't prepared, all he had was a goddamn dagger." Louis' voice wavered in anger.

Liam put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You know him, Louis. That's just how he is."

Louis pressed his lips together. A part of him wanted to argue with Liam and tell him that they shouldn't let Benedict's acts and words slip just because 'that's how he is'. It wasn't fair. It never was.

"Maybe you should check on Harry. He might be awake now." Liam said.

Louis nodded, his mind going back to last night when he got absolutely no sleep for checking in on Harry twice every hour. Eventually, Harry's healer had to sit him down and talk him out of his madness, telling him that Harry might wake up tomorrow, which meant that he should rest in the meantime.

"Yeah, I was planning to." Louis said, giving Liam a tight smile before turning around and heading for Harry's room.

He'd been moved back to his own room from the infirmary earlier as per Louis' request. The infirmary happened to be filled with several injured Troopers, he just wasn't comfortable knowing that Harry would be there as well. He requested for a personal healer for Harry (not that Benedict had to know), and somehow, it made him feel slightly at ease.

Just outside Harry's door, he could hear laughter. A smile immediately found its way to his face. It was almost as if all his exhaustion and frustration had been lifted, just from the sound of Harry's adorable giggles.

He quietly pushed the door open, his smile widening at the scene before him. Harry was propped up on his bed, his wild hair a beautiful mess on top of his pillow. Niall was lying right beside him with a laptop sitting on his lap. They were laughing at what they were watching, no doubt a movie. Louis then noticed Harry's pale and bruised skin, as well as the bandage wrapped around his head. His eyes still weren't as bright as they usually were, but this was better than when he was unconscious.

Louis cleared his throat, grinning when both heads snapped up. Niall smiled at him warmly, but for some reason, Harry's smile didn't quite reach his ears. It seemed almost…forced? Sad?

"How are you doing?" Louis said, settling down beside Harry.

He shrugged. "I've been better."

Niall must've noticed the change in Harry's mood as well because he was frowning, then he asked worriedly, "Harry, uh, are you feeling sick? Should I call your healer?"

Harry shook his head, turning to Niall. "I'm just tired, Ni. That's all."

Niall nodded reluctantly. "Well, I'm going to go down to fetch you some food before you sleep."

When Niall was out of the room, Louis noticed how Harry wouldn't look him in the eye. The boy was playing with the hem of his sweater, fidgeting and biting his lip.

"Harry…" Louis said carefully. "What's wrong?"

"Thank you for what you did at the markets, Lou. I owe you my life." Harry said, ignoring his question.

Louis was caught off guard when Harry threw his arms around his neck and pulled him into an embrace, the younger boy pressing his face against Louis' chest. Louis smiled and wrapped his arms around Harry's waist, nosing at his curls that had a faint smell of flowers.

"You're an important person in my life, Harry. Of course I'll be there when you need me. I'll never forgive myself if—" he cut himself off, shaking his head.

"You were right," Harry's voice was small and muffled. "You told me to be careful, asked me to bring a weapon. I'm sorry I let you down."

Louis frowned. "What? No, you didn't let me down. I know you tried to fight it off. You did just fine."

A moment of silence passed, until, "That's not what Benedict says."

Louis pulled away so that he could look at Harry. With a cold voice, he asked, "Did he speak to you? What did he say?"

Harry nodded reluctantly. "He says…he says now I have to prove myself even harder. He says I failed him, because I couldn't even fight the beast myself. That I needed to be rescued like a damsel in distress."

"Well, we both know that's bullshit. Benedict doesn't know you the way I do. He can judge you all he wants, but it won't matter, because you'll prove him wrong in the end. You aren't weak, you aren't a failure. Please don't let him get to you, Haz. Promise me." Louis said, voice strained.

Harry's caress immediately calmed him down, his breathing slowing down. "Lou, it's fine. I mean, he has a point. I need this motivation. I need the push. All this time, I've been training just because we're required to. I never took it seriously, because I don't really like combat and all that. I would sneak out during practice and go to the kitchens and brew herbs and medicine, sometimes even cook. It's my fault too. It makes sense that Benedict is harsh about it, but at least it gets his point across. "

"You know what," Louis said, throwing an arm over his shoulder and pulling him closer, "I'll make sure that you'll prove Benedict wrong. I want to see the look on his face when you pass every stupid test he can come up with. I'll train you. And this time, it's not going to be boring. You're going to enjoy our sessions, and you're going to be so good. I promise you."

Harry looked up at him with wide, surprised eyes. "Really? You'd do that?"

"Yes, Harry. Of course."

"But you're a Trooper! Benedict won't allow you—"

"He won't have to know, genius." Louis said with a smirk, tapping Harry's nose. 

They stared at each other, Harry's eyes filled with awe and gratitude, while all Louis could think of was how much it scared him that he'd do just about anything for this boy.

The door burst open and Niall strode inside, carrying a tray of food for Harry, as promised. Harry's eyes lit up at the sight of food, and he thanked Niall repeatedly for his sweet gesture.

"Who are you kidding, Harry. This is the least I could do after everything you've done for me and the other lads. Honestly, we'd all be miserable or dead without you." Niall said fondly, ruffling Harry's mop of curls.

Harry laughed and shook his head before eating. Louis watched him for a bit, but then his thoughts travelled back to the incident yesterday with the beast. Harry had stopped him from slaying the beast, and Louis had been trying to figure out why for so long. 

"Harry?" Louis said reluctantly. "Can I ask you something? About yesterday?"

Harry froze, body going rigid. His voice was small when he said, "What about it?"

Their conversation was cut when a knock sounded on the door. Zayn's head soon popped in, a small smile on his face.

"Hey Harry," he greeted instantly, giving the boy a hug. "Brought you some food as well, didn't know you were already eating."

Harry accepted the bag of chips and chocolates. "That's alright. Thanks Zayn."

Zayn then turned to Niall. "You're needed in the weapons room, mate."

Niall nods, standing up. "Well, you two good here?"

Louis and Harry nod, watching as Zayn and Niall left the room once again. Louis turned to Harry, about to pick up where they left off when the boy beat him and spoke first.

"Louis, have you seen Jaron?" 

"Yeah, don't worry. He's at the infirmary, getting better." Louis told him.

Harry looked up at him through his lashes, "Can you please bring me there? I want to see him."

Louis reluctantly nodded. "Sure, but can you walk?"

He snorted. "I've had a concussion, Lou. My legs are quite fine."

Louis kept a secure arm around Harry the entire way there, asking him if he's fine every five seconds that Harry had to smack him on the arm to make him stop.

When they finally arrived, Louis released a silent breath of relief when he noticed that the place was less packed than it had been before. Right beside the door was Jaron's bed, who looked surprised to see them there.

"Harry," he said in surprise, sitting up and wincing as he did so.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Harry slipped from Louis' hold and stood right next to Jaron.

Louis just stood there awkwardly, trying to busy himself with his phone. He had never really spoken to Jaron before, since they all had personal trainers and such, but now that he saw how close Harry and this giant was, he might just get to know him a bit more now. Not to be overprotective or whatever. Nope.

"Hit my head pretty bad, but they say I'm recovering. How about you?" Jaron said.

"Concussion. Louis and the others came and saved us." Harry said, throwing Louis a dimpled smile. Louis smiled right back.

Jaron cleared his throat awkwardly. "Yeah, thank you for that."

'Maybe if you did a better job at protecting Harry, you won't have to thank me now.' Louis had to bite his tongue and just give a kind nod instead.

"I want to thank you too," Harry told Jaron, "you risked your life for me. I'm sorry I couldn't—"

"Harry, you're an idiot for what you did but you were really brave. If it happened again, I'd ask you to just save yourself, but if there's anything I've learned, it's that you're a true friend and that you'll never leave people behind. So don't apologize." Jaron said, eyes filled with so much emotion Louis knew all too well, because he looked at Harry the same way.

As Harry gave his friend an embrace and thanked him repeatedly, Louis wondered if it was possible for anyone to not love Harry.

Because he certainly would never stop doing so.


	6. Chapter 6

"Harry, I told you not to hold back. Hit harder, it's alright." Louis reminded him for the umpteenth time.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, "I don't want you to get a bruise!"

"That's the point, though." Louis said exasperatedly. "You can't fight a battle or win a duel without hitting and hurting your opponent."

They were currently in one of the practice rooms, and Louis was admittedly getting tired. They'd been here since 4am (because Harry said he liked the early mornings and peacefulness) and now, the sun was already rising, its glare finding its way through the tall glass windows.

Louis decided to use this session as a warm up before the sword lessons, or even the firearms practice. Harry told him that he'd practiced with Jaron already, but Louis would be the judge of whether or not he was trained enough.

"Let's try again, shall we?" Louis said, followed by a smile to put the boy at ease.

"Fine," he grumbled, fixing his boxing gloves.

"Aim for my face, okay?" Louis said.

Harry grumbled something in annoyance but gave a small nod. Louis noted that at least Harry knew the proper stance now, slightly crouched, knees bent and arms raised. He was a fast learner (plus, he'd been having these lessons for some time now anyway), but he just wasn't keen on the "violent parts", as Harry had labelled them, which okay, which part of combat training wasn't about violence?

Louis threw the first hit, which Harry easily blocked. They went on and on like this for a few more moments—Louis on offense and Harry on defense. They spun in circles, eyes never leaving the other. Louis continued delivering hits until Harry lost coordination and was unable to block one strike. Louis' eyes widened when his gloved hands hit the side of Harry's face, the force making the boy stumble back and nearly fall over. Louis wasn't even using his full strength yet, but it was enough to create damage still.

"Shit! I'm sorry!" Louis ran to him, trying to see his face.

That was when Harry delivered a forceful blow on his left cheek, so strong he landed on his butt with a groan of pain. And then Harry was whooping, cheering gleefully as he jumped around the room.

"I knocked out Louis Tomlinson! I knocked him out with one punch! Ha!"

Louis shook his head, releasing a laugh as he watched Harry do some weird victory dance. 

"You cheated, but fine," Louis teased.

Harry looked offended. "I did not! You're the one who violated the first rule you told me, 'avoid distractions, don't let your opponent get the upper hand.' Well, practice what you preach Master Tommo."

Louis barked out a laugh. "Fine, fine. But seriously, did I hit you hard?"

Harry sat down beside him, and Louis immediately removed his gloves to examine his face. He cupped the younger boy's cheek and saw that the skin there was a bit red, and though it didn't look that bad, he couldn't help the feeling of guilt that crept up his stomach.

"Honestly, it's nothing. I punched you too, so." Harry said with a shrug.

Louis' eyes traveled to Harry's cherry lips, so perfectly shaped and full. His hand was still cupping the boy's cheek, so Louis quickly retracted his hand before things got awkward.

"Yeah, I guess so." He stood up, stretching. "I guess that's all the warm up we need. How do you feel about practicing with weapons? What do you prefer, swords, daggers, bow and arrow, maybe?"

Harry scratched his chin, considering it. "Uh, dagger?"

Louis smiled. "Fits you."

Harry stood up, huffing indignantly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Louis chuckled, shoving his things into his bag, "Because it's more gentle and sort of, light and subtle. Kind of like you."

"A dagger, gentle?" Harry said incredulously, trailing after him as they made to leave the room.

"You'll get what I'm saying later," Louis waved him off. "Now come on, the weapons room is ours for the taking."

It took them a few minutes to arrive at the weapons room, their journey filled with mindless and comfortable chatter. Louis unlocked the tall metal door and pushed it open, ushering Harry inside.

After locking the door from the inside, Louis turned to find Harry staring around him in awe.

"Tell me again why I've never been in this room?" Harry breathed, bright eyes taking in all the little details inside the room.

"Well, to be fair, only chosen people are allowed to come in anyway. So, don't feel cheated, a lot of Troopers haven't seen this place." Louis said.

"They're missing out." Harry said, running his fingertips over the seemingly endless array of spears and swords hanging on the wall.

Louis remembered being that awe-struck when he'd first come here, too. The place was a true paradise for warriors like himself, from the room's sleek, dark, and neat interior, to the endless levels of shelves filled with all the weapons he didn't even know existed. 

"Alright, daggers and knives are this way." Louis led him to the long oak table in the middle of the room. On top of it, various blade weapons were neatly spread out.

"I get to choose?" Harry asked breathlessly, like a kid picking a Christmas present instead of a deadly weapon.

He chuckled. "Be my guest."

Harry immediately went to work, picking up daggers and closely inspecting them. After a few moments though, he'd place them back right where he'd taken them. 

"How did you choose your weapon, Lou?" Harry asked without looking at him, eyes still focused on the weapons in front of him.

"I mean, it's not like Harry Potter picking a wand or whatever. We've got unlimited weapons basically, so I didn't make a big deal of what weapon I chose. Most of the time I go for swords just because it's more practical. Troopers are usually discouraged from using guns and other firearms because they're not that efficient, and the noise tends to attract even more beasts. Sometimes knives are great too." Louis said, watching as Harry held a particular dagger longer than the others.

He stood beside the boy, looking over his shoulder. "Have you made your pick, then?"

Harry nodded, beaming. "It's light and, well, sharp. It's cute."

Louis couldn't help his bark of laughter. "Cute? Harry, you're going to use this to kill."

"I know," he rolled his eyes, "but look, it has a little rose engraved in its metal."

Louis squinted and saw what Harry was talking about. The hilt was wrapped in dark leather, and from the bottom of the hilt emerged a beautifully etched rose which crept up onto the very blade itself. For some reason, Louis couldn't imagine a more compatible weapon for the boy.

"I like it. Brilliant pick. Make sure to show that rose imprint to the beasts before burying it in their necks," Louis snickered.

Instead of laughing like he'd expected, Harry looked a bit glum. He was biting his lip, eyes distant.

"Harry? I was joking. I really like it." Louis amended.

Harry turned to completely face him, shaking his head. "I just—can you, um, promise not to laugh or like, judge me?"

Louis nodded, eyebrows furrowed. "You know me, Haz. What is it?"

He played with the dagger in his hands for a few moments before sighing. "I don't like the idea of killing beasts. You're probably wondering why I asked you not to kill that beast at the markets. Well, it's because I feel like…I can't explain it, but they're not monsters Lou. I know it. We shouldn't kill them."

Louis stared at him in shock, mouth open but speechless. He knew Harry was the kindest and most compassionate person, but this was just…wow. In what universe did a Trooper not want to slay a beast?

"Harry," he began gently, "they are monsters. They feed on people, on innocents. If we don't kill them, they'll kill us. We can't let that happen. I'm not trying to dismiss your opinion, but I just don't agree with it."

Harry was frowning now, looking frustrated as he said, "What if… what if there was like, another way? Instead of killing them, you know? Like, to tame them and stuff?"

Louis just sighed. It was official. No one on this earth had a bigger heart than Harry Styles.

"I guess that's possible, but the logical thing to do in the meantime is just…execute them, you know? We've got no choice." Louis said.

Harry just shrugged, his excited and bubbly self completely gone. Their conversation about that topic ended there, but Louis knew it still bugged the boy even as they began practicing again. Throughout the remainder of the day, Harry was out of focus and just lacked enthusiasm.

Louis couldn't help but put some thought into it as well, since it seemed so important to Harry.

*

"What? We're going to the Fort?" Louis grumbled, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Liam had just busted into his room at 3am, still wearing his uniform. The guy looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"Yes. It's an absolute mess there, mate. Commander Roy needs all the Troopers he could get. They're planning a really big attack. He needs a big number." Liam explained.

Usually, the Troopers took turns in staying at the Fort. Louis and his brothers had just finished their shift a few weeks ago, so it was odd that they were being called in again so soon. 

"Well, who's going to take our posts here? I've got rounds and assignments as well—" Louis began.

"Roy has it all covered. The new recruits will handle the easy assignments. We've got a bigger problem to fix." Liam said, sitting down at the foot of his bed.

Louis sighed. "Everyone? Niall, Zayn, you, me? What about Harry?"

Liam shrugged weakly. "He's not a Trooper yet. I don't know. I guess he'll stay and help out with the new recruits—"

"And you're okay with this?" Louis whisper-yelled. "We're going to be gone for who know how long, we can't just leave him here! You know Benedict will do anything to make him miserable. Without us here…"

"I know, Louis. I'm as upset about it as you are. But unless you've got an idea, we can't do anything." 

Louis groaned, rubbing his face with his palms. "I'll—I'll think of something. I'm not leaving him here."

Liam gave him a tired smile. "Well, it better be soon. We're leaving tonight. I just went back here to pack."

He watched Liam stand up, looking ready to collapse on the floor. "I'll tell Zayn and Niall about the arrangement. If you need anything, I'll be in my room afterwards. I haven't slept in decades."

Louis stared up at the ceiling until he heard his door click shut. He didn't sleep after that, head filled with thoughts about how to make sure that Harry wouldn't be left here.

*

Breakfast time rolled around, and Louis had been told exactly seven times about how terrible he looked. He ignored everyone and took his usual seat, finding Niall and Zayn sitting across from him.

"Didn't sleep?" Zayn said with a grimace.

"No shit, Zayn."

He held up his hands in surrender, "Chill out, mate. Geez."

Niall cackled like a fucking baboon, apparently enjoying this very much. "Just wait till Liam comes here too. Looks like a walking corpse."

And then he was laughing loudly again, and Louis just stared at the bread knife in front of him, willing it to fly and stab him in the face.

Liam did arrive a few minutes later, looking a bit better than earlier. He'd obviously been sleeping all morning, if his mussed hair and blotchy face was anything to go by.

As expected, Niall was laughing again, clapping his hands like a seal. Liam just gave him a confused look before fishing out his phone and typing.

"Shut up, Niall. Seriously." Zayn grumbled miserably, running his fingers through his hair.

Niall did stop laughing when Harry finally arrived. Instead, Niall was scowling at the youngest boy.

"No fair! Everyone looks like a zombie and then Harry walks in all fresh and well-rested. How!" Niall complained.

Harry snorted, taking a seat beside Louis. "It's called taking a shower, Niall. You should try it sometime."

Niall gasped dramatically, while the entire table erupted in laughter. Even Louis cracked a smile.

"What might be so good about the morning that you're all acting like children?" 

Everyone immediately went quiet as Benedict walked in, sitting down at the head of the table. 

The maids brought in their food and they ate in silence. Louis hated how Benedict sucked out the life and fun out of everything. The only times they were able to eat like normal people were during those rare times when Benedict was busy in a meeting or running an important errand. Every other time, he was here right on time to join them for their meal.

"I believe Liam had informed you about the sudden change of plans?" Benedict said, eyes steady on his plate.

"Yeah. We'll be ready by nightfall." Niall said.

"Hmm." The man nodded. 

Louis subtly glanced at Harry, and as expected, he looked clueless and lost. Louis felt guilty, knowing that he should've given Harry a heads up. But he hoped that Benedict wouldn't bring it up until after Louis found a way to make sure that Harry wasn't going to be left.

"Well, Commander Roy said this shift at the Fort could last for weeks. Months, even. So bring all the things you think you'll need." Benedict said.

"Months?" Harry said, voice small and hesitant.

All heads turned to him, his brothers looking guilty and sympathetic.

"Yeah, we're not sure how long this shift might be. Things are pretty tough there. There have been a lot of attacks." Liam said carefully.

"Oh." Harry pursed his lips.

Louis didn't like this one bit. Here they were again, making Harry feel like an outcast. Like he wasn't one of them—like he wasn't their family. And Louis hated himself for that.

"You'll be working with our new recruits. Sending packages, leading clean-ups, making rounds. Shouldn't be that hard." Benedict said, eyes finally leaving his plate to look at Harry.

"Uh, yeah. Sure." Harry mumbled.

Clean-ups? Sending packages? Harry was the son of Benedict Winter! He was a Winter just like every one of them—why would he have to go through all this, when he should be a Trooper?

"I say we bring Harry with us," Louis blurted out.

Harry turned to him with a stunned expression, mirrored by everyone on the table. Benedict cocked an eyebrow, looking thoughtful.

"Really now, Louis? And why's that?"

Louis swallowed, knowing there was no turning back now. "Well, I—I've been training Harry for a few days now, I think he'll learn a lot more if he's at the Fort. Besides, me and Zayn, Niall, and Liam were all sent there for training when we were sixteen. Harry's sixteen now, I don't see why not."

"He's incompetent and lacks skill, that's why. Besides, this is different. It's an emergency call since the Fort is facing crucial challenges. The priority will be to complete a mission, to battle beasts, not to train newbies. I fail to see how bringing Harry along will benefit anyone at all aside from the boy himself." Benedict said with finality.

"He can be of service there. He's really good with medicine and herbs, surely he can teach the healers some techniques—"

"Healers? You'd rather have him be a lowly healer than to stay here and slowly work his way up into being a Trooper?" Benedict said, eyes shining in amusement.

"Besides, Harry would more of a burden and a liability there than anything. Commander Roy doesn't welcome just anyone—if he sees that a person isn't fit to be part of the Fort yet, they're kicked out. Harry is far from ready. You of all people should know that, Louis. You've seen his ways. He will send Harry home before the boy even has the chance to open his mouth and beg to be let in." Benedict said flatly.

Louis clamped his mouth shut, uncertain of what to say. Harry reached out for his hand under the table, and when he looked up, Harry was smiling softly at him, shaking his head. 

'It's fine,' Harry mouthed.

And Louis wanted to give in, wanted to believe that maybe Harry truly was okay with this. But he knew Harry—the boy was too kind for his own good. He'd be maltreated here, abused with workload in Benedict's lousy excuses to "strengthen" and prepare him. And no, Louis would not turn a blind eye and leave Harry here. 

Not again.

"I'll give up my badge. I'll resign from being a Trooper if you receive any news about Harry being a bother or, if he's not helping out and being useful." Louis said firmly.

Benedict looked speechless for the first time in his life.

"I bet my badge that Harry will be of use at the Fort. That he won't let any of us down. That Commander Roy will let him in. I believe in him, and you should too." Louis continued, voice slightly wavering now that his words were sinking in.

Everyone was stunned, including Louis himself. But he didn't regret his words. He would repeat it again if they asked him to. 

"Very well." 

Louis held his breath as Benedict stood up, a smile ghosting his lips. He looked very amused and surprised. Entertained—like he was expecting a punchline. Or, anticipating an epic failure.

"You have my word if I have yours." was the last thing Benedict said before walking out of the dining room, leaving five speechless boys to stare after him.


	7. Chapter 7

Three Years Ago

Louis had just arrived home from the Fort, feeling the shock wear off as he walked down the familiar path that led to the Winters' mansion. Zayn, Liam, and a newly presented Niall were trailing right behind him, looking exhausted and worn out. Niall had the worst injuries, considering it had been his first trip there.

The eldest boy lugged his baggage carelessly, his weapons clinging noisily along his hip. They quietly waited as their butler swung the door open and took their things from them, bringing the items to their rooms. Louis scanned the place with a frown. He expected a certain curly-haired boy to welcome them home, just like before. Now that he wasn't here, the place didn't even look like his home.

With a sigh, Louis ran for the stairs to head to Harry's room. They'd been gone for a month, the longest shift they'd ever had this far, how could Harry forget to welcome them back? The boy had a calendar with their return date for goodness sake! He would cross down each day like a count down, and even prepare a delicious meal for them as a surprise. 

Louis quietly crept along the hallway, frowning when he heard something odd. He stood right outside Harry's room, carefully pressing his ear against the wooden door. Louis' breath hitched when he recognized the odd sound—weak whimpers and cries. Harry's cries.

Without another thought, Louis bursted into the room, eyes widening when he found Harry curled up in a ball in the corner of the room. His room was a mess—clothes strewn all over the floor, weapons littering the furniture. Louis stumbled as he dashed to Harry's side, whose frame was trembling, sobs raking his body.

"Harry? Haz? It's me, it's Louis. Can you look at me? Can you tell me what happened?" Louis' voice shook, his throat tightening after every word, but he forced his tears not to fall. He couldn't do that in front of Harry.

Harry peaked from his arms, eyes red and—was that a black eye?!

"Harry, who did this?!" Louis' blood was boiling, feeling his stomach churn when he realized that Harry had several other bruises and gashes all over his body, from his arms to his legs.

The thirteen-year-old flinched at his loud voice and curled back into himself, backing up against the wall as though he wanted to disappear in it.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Louis whispered, gingerly placing an arm over Harry's shoulders. When the boy didn't push him away, Louis pulled his trembling frame into his chest, rubbing circles onto his back.

"It's okay, Haz. I'm here. No one's going to hurt you now. I'm here." Louis whispered.

He repeated those words like a chant for what felt like hours as he rocked the boy back and forth. Slowly, Harry's breathing went back to normal, his trembling becoming less severe. For a moment, Louis thought the younger boy had fallen asleep. But when he looked at his face, he was wide awake, eyes red, his usually bright green eyes dull.

"Haz? Hey." Louis said softly, pushing his sweaty curls out of his face. 

"Hi." Harry whispered, voice cracked. 

They stayed silent for a bit since Louis wasn't sure if he should push Harry to talk, but then the boy spoke.

"I'm sorry I couldn't welcome you back. I was supposed to bake a cake, but—yeah." Harry said in a barely audible voice.

And that was when Louis' tears came cascading down his cheeks. Here they were on the floor, Harry all bloody and bruised with dried tears, and then the first thing he'd thought to do was apologize? Apologize that he hadn't been there to welcome them home?

It was the realization that someone had the audacity to hurt such a selfless and loving person like Harry that hurt. But even more so was the fact that Harry probably didn't realize that he didn't deserve this either, that his condition shouldn't be brushed aside like it was such an irrelevant matter.

"No, Harry. I'm the one who should be apologizing. I shouldn't have let this happen to you. I'm so sorry, Haz, I really am." Louis said with a shaky voice.

Harry looked up at him and wiped a stray tear with his thumb. Harry's beautiful face was filled with bruises. He had a fucking black eye. His upper lip was busted open.

"Don't be. It was my fault." He whispered.

Louis gritted his teeth. "No, Harry. No one has the right to hurt you like this—"

"All I had to do was to shoot the d-dog. They said I had to be brave and strong. But I couldn't do it. The dog was innocent, Lou! I j-just, that was too much. Carlo had to teach me a lesson, had to leave an imprint in my brain somehow that I shouldn't be a coward. He did this to strengthen me, Lou. But I failed again because here I am crying over it—!"

Louis pulled him into a fierce embrace, letting Harry sob into his neck. They fell asleep in that position, though Louis eyes were wide open the entire night, fist clenched as he thought about how bad he wanted to beat Carlo up.

Unfortunately, Louis had never gotten the chance to avenge Harry, because Carlo was gone the following day. When Louis confronted Benedict about the matter and how Carlo should be punished, all the man said with an overwhelming amount of nonchalance was: "He did what had to be done."

Ever since, he'd made sure that Harry always had someone with him if he was away at the Fort. Liam, Zayn, and Niall were all happy to look over the boy and make sure that he would never meet the same fate again.

*

Louis had finally finished packing up after several broken vases and an endless downpour of curse words. (He'd always had anger management issues ever since he was a kid, so no one even batted an eye.)

He grudgingly put on his Trooper uniform, cursing its heavy material and impractical designs. All he had was an average-sized luggage, the same thing he always brought with him to the Fort. All it contained were clothes and shoes—not that he needed anything else, really.

Beyond the veranda in his room, he could hear voices as everyone waited for their ride. Subtly, Louis took a peek from behind the curtain and immediately spotted a familiar mop of curls surrounded by Niall, Liam, and even Jaron (who would apparently be joining then at the Fort as well).

"Knock knock,"

Louis spun on his heel, glaring at Zayn who was leaning against his door frame with a smug smile.

"Sight seeing?" Zayn said, cocking an eyebrow.

Louis flipped him off before grabbing his luggage and shouldering past him as he walked out the door. He heard Zayn chuckle, followed by racing footsteps, until Zayn was walking right beside him.

When they were finally at the front of the house, Louis didn't know where to put himself. Harry was on the other side, busy talking with Jaron and Liam. He didn't want to think that Harry was avoiding him—but, that was pretty much the case.

Zayn patted his shoulder. "Don't look so glum now. The lad just needs some time to let the situation sit in. You kind of put him on the spot, you know."

Louis sighed. "I know."

He had been so focused on trying to make sure Harry was going to be with them that he didn't realize that he was putting pressure on Harry as well—for him to perform excellently at the Fort, and even impress Commander Roy in extension. He'd also unconsciously put an unwanted burden on the boy's shoulders by putting Louis' own badge on the line. If Harry messed up, he'd blame himself for Louis' fate.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" Zayn mused.

Louis groaned in irritation. "Fucking thanks for the reminder."

A large van pulled up in front of them, followed by another identical one where their luggages would be put. The helpers from the mansion and the butlers helped them load their things, speeding up the process. When all their things had been placed in the second van, they made their way to the other one. 

Louis sat down at the very end of the vehicle, followed by Zayn and Liam. Jaren, Harry, and Niall sat down on the second row, right in front of them.

The trip was miserable and painful enough as it was, but even more so as Harry continued to pretend that he didn't exist. Niall had fallen asleep, and now Harry and Jaron were having a hushed conversation. How brilliant.

Louis forced himself to keep his eyes outside the window. He'd even put on a pair of headphones and blasted some music to calm him down, but even music couldn't lessen the heaviness he felt at the moment. He knew he messed up pretty badly, but it was the only way to make sure that Harry wasn't going to be left alone there. He didn't trust anyone but himself—and Zayn, Liam, and Niall on very particular occasions—to look over Harry and ensure his safety. So, no. He didn't regret his spontaneity and stupidity. Not one bit.

"Stop! Pull over!"

Louis' head snapped towards the commotion, belatedly realizing that it had been Harry who'd ordered them to stop. The van came to a skidding halt, and before the vehicle had even properly parked, Harry was flinging himself halfway out of the door already.

"Harry!" Louis called out, shoving Zayn and Liam out of the way as he ran after the boy.

Outside on the road, Harry was crouched over a figure. Louis crouched down beside him, eyes trailing over the young girl's body. She was probably no older than twelve, her blond hair matted with blood and soot. 

"Did we run her over?" Liam asked in a panicked voice.

"No, I just saw her laying her from the car." Harry said shakily.

"I'm calling the ambulance," Zayn announced, jogging back to the van, probably fo fetch his phone.

Just then, the girl's eyes flew open. "N-no! Please don't!"

Zayn stopped on his tracks and carefully walked back towards them, looking confused and conflicted.

"Don't what?" Niall said, looking around in panic.

"No hospitals. No ambulance. They kill u-us, I swear, they did it to my f-friend!" the girl stuttered, tears pooling in her eyes.

"Okay, no ambulance. I'm not calling." Zayn said calmly, putting his hands in the air as if to prove he didn't have a phone.

"Look," Harry whispered, touching Louis' hand. "She was bitten."

Louis followed his gaze, and right there on her neck was a deep, painful bite. There was no doubt that it was a beast's doing.

"If we don't do anything now, the poison's going to kill her." Louis whispered to the others.

"If we make it to the Fort in time we can save her." Jaron said confidently, scooping up the girl from the ground without another word. 

"Careful!" Liam cried, following Jaron as he deposited her into the van.

After that, it was all a blur of shouting and panicked voices. Somehow, Louis had ended up in the second van where all the luggage was stored, and beside him sat Harry, silently looking out the window.

For nearly an hour there was nothing but silence between them, until Harry spoke up just as they were about to arrive at the Fort.

"You shouldn't have done it, Lou. I'm not worth your dreams." Harry whispered, eyes still on the road outside.

"I don't regret it, Harry." He said simply.

"If I go down, I should do it by myself. I don't want to drag you with me. It's not fair." Harry said.

"You won't, because you won't fail. I have so much faith in you, I just wish you believed in yourself even half as much as I do." Louis said softly.

The van came to a stop, and for a moment their eyes met. Louis smiled slightly before turning to leave, but then Harry's arms were around him, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug.

"I'll—I'll try. I really will." Harry muttered into his chest.

Louis rubbed his back, smiling wider. "And I'll be right here, beside you. I promise."

It was a promise he wasn't going to break. Ever.


	8. Chapter 8

The Fort was an impressive stone building towering over every other structure alongside it, looking like something pulled straight out of a fairy tale. The castle-like building was surrounded by acres of green land and clusters of tall trees. Littered across the field were Troopers, like ants from a distance. 

As soon as they'd arrived, a group of men were running towards their van carrying a stretcher. The injured girl was carefully laid down on the stretcher, and then she was taken away to the infirmary.

Louis gave Harry's hand a squeeze. "She'll be fine, Haz. She's lucky you saw her when you did. You saved her."

Harry smiled wistfully. "It's too early to tell. That was a pretty bad bite."

"Feeling alright there?" Liam asked as he approached them, an easy smile on his face.

"I guess." Harry sighed. "As I said before, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. So just, I don't know, walk me through stuff."

Both Liam and Louis nodded. "No need to worry. We're here."

Their luggages were handed over to them, and then they were walking down the dirt path towards the main entrance of the Fort. 

"Is it true that this place is the closest to the heart of the beasts' home?" Harry asked quietly.

"No one knows for sure where the heart of the beasts' home is, but this is where the beasts' population is the thickest. Without the Fort, the beasts are free to roam the cities." Louis said.

Zayn appeared on Harry's other side, throwing an arm over his shoulder. "I feel like you're gonna like it here."

Harry just shook his head with a hint of a smile on his lips. "Let's hope that this place likes me instead."

Louis watched Harry's awe-stricken face as they walked into the Fort, its fifteen-feet-tall metal gates swinging open to let them in. Once they were inside, Louis led the way to Commander Roy's office, since he practically memorized the Fort's map by now. 

There weren't that much people around since the Troopers were either resting for the night, or taking their shift. They silently walked down the torch-lit hallways until they finally made it to their destination.

"Why, the Winter boys have finally arrived." Roy greeted them from behind his oakwood table.

The buff man seemed to put on even more muscle, however that was possible, although he had a lot of additional scars all over his body, and a fresh bruise on his cheek. Louis had been working for him ever since he'd first gone to the Fort, and he had respect for the man. 

They all shook his hand politely, and of course, Roy cocked an eyebrow when he shook Harry's hand.

"Ah, you're the new addition, then?" He said.

Harry seemed caught off guard, so Louis chimed in. "We've had some changes in our arrangements. Harry will be serving at the Fort, with us."

Roy nodded thoughtfully, eyeing Harry. "Hmm. But the boy hasn't presented yet, has he?"

Harry shook his head meekly. "Um, soon."

"Ah, well. There have been times when trainees presented here before. That wouldn't be a problem…" Roy drawled out with squinted eyes, "unless, of course, you present as anything but Alpha. As everyone knows, the Fort is a strict Alpha-only home."

"You've got nothing to worry about," Liam said confidently, squeezing Harry's arm.

"I do hope so." Ray said mindlessly, running through his papers."Well, I can tell that you are all tired, so you can all head up to your quarters for the night. Tomorrow, we begin early. Please do fill in Harry about how we do things around here."

"Yeah, sure. Thank you, Commander." Niall said cheerily, leading the way out.

The Fort didn't have individual quarters, but had several people within each room. Since they were pretty much a package—the Winter brothers, as everyone labeled them—they had a large room for the five of them.

Jaron quietly wished Harry a good night before leaving to find his own quarters. Louis would never say it out loud, but he was beyond glad that the giant finally stopped following them (specifically Harry) around like a lost puppy.

Inside, the room was spacious enough. Two double deckers were lined up on either side of the door, lying parallel to each other. Right across the door a single bunk was pressed up against the wall, having a beautiful view of the night sky.

Niall, Zayn, and Liam wordlessly changed their clothes before diving beneath the covers, snoring within seconds. Louis stayed up to help Harry place his stuff in the small chest found beneath his bunk bed.

"I really get to sleep on this bed, the one by the window?" Harry said in disbelief.

Louis smiled. "Yeah, it's been reserved for you ever since."

"I find it hard to believe that none of you slept here even once." Harry said.

"I mean, it wasn't here yet the last time we were here." Louis said distractedly, trying to fit in all of Harry's clothes in the chest (why Harry thought it was a good idea to bring so much clothes was beyond him. Like—chelsea boots, really?)

"Were you expecting me to come along with you when you returned?" Harry asked curiously, head tilted to the side.

Louis shrugged."More of like, hoped. I mean, you're going to present any time now. I just wanted to make sure that whenever that happened, you'd have a place ready for you right away. So I had someone add in a new bunk before we left a few weeks ago."

When Louis looked up, Harry was looking at him with so much warmth in his eyes, he couldn't help but fidget under the boy's gaze.

"Thank you, Louis. Really. For everything." Harry said softly.

Harry looked beautiful with the moonlight on his skin, making him look even more fantastical and otherworldly than he already was. A part of Louis wondered what a delicate, fragile person like Harry was doing in a place like this—where their job was to kill and risk their life every single day. A part of him wondered if it would've been better if Harry was just an ordinary person, if he was just a Beta so that he didn't have this responsibility on his shoulders. 

But then again, Harry was one of the bravest people he'd ever met. Somehow, even though the boy confessed that he didn't want to kill a single beast, it made sense that he was in a place like the Fort, because everything needed some light and softness every once in a while. A gruesome, tired place like this very much needed a gush of fresh air, something beautiful and precious to distract it from its own horrors.

"Goodnight, Harry." Louis whispered.

"Night." Harry beamed at him, leaving a peck on his cheek before diving beneath the blankets and snuggling up against his pillow.

Louis just smiled and ignored how weak his knees had gone before walking over to his bunk bed—the one on top of Niall's—and trying to drown out his thoughts by blasting music on his headphones. Somehow, it worked, but he still dreamt of the same face he always dreamed about: green eyes, curly hair, and a breathtaking smile. 

*

Breakfast in the Fort was very different from breakfast in the mansion. Troopers always had their meals outside where long, wooden tables were littered all over the field. But considering their call time of 4am, the sky was still dark and the air was freezing. There was no source of warmth other than the person sitting next to you (which explained why everyone was huddled up together), and the candles barely produced any light, so it was quite impossible to see the person you're talking to. The wooden seats were basically blocks of ice which was quite uncomfortable to sit on. The only positive difference of breakfast in the Fort from breakfast in the mansion was that Benedict Winter wasn't here to freeze everyone's ass off even more with his cold stares and sneers.

"As we are all aware of, the beasts have been attacking more and more homes in the past week. There have been more casualties, missing cases, and deaths in the past few days than in the past six months. That statement alone should tell you just how critical our situation is now." Roy said, pacing the wet grass, his voice booming across the field.

"The Commanders and I decided that it was time to investigate. We've been on defense for quite some time now, and while that may be a practical strategy, we can't end the attacks if we don't know what's going on. We believe that something has changed among these beasts, whether they've evolved, or something in the forest is forcing them into the cities, or maybe they're being controlled. These are merely speculations, and without hard facts, we'll keep on finding ourselves right where we've started." Roy announced.

Louis put a comforting hand on Harry's thigh beneath the table, earning him an almost shy smile from the boy.

"And so, we've come up with a mission. It's our turn to attack. We'll explore that forest and find out exactly what is causing all this. Along the way, we destroy any beast's nest we find. And once we've identified the problem, only then can we truly strike back to resolve it." Roy continued, but Louis' attention was now on the conversation happening in their table.

"Fucking bollocks, I say." It was Aaron McCarter, looking absolutely livid. "That would be like walking blindly into a trap. The forests are swarming with beasts, I don't think anyone has even returned from that damned place. And now they want to send an entire fleet?"

"Well, if we don't do anything, this place will be overridden by beasts anyway in a few days. At least we'll be making some sort of progress by trying to understand the situation better." A dark-haired man argued in a fervent whisper.

"I mean, cities have already been breeched by the monsters anyway. We've tried holding them back for a week, and see what that brought us. It's hopeless." Another one chimed in, this one looking a bit familiar to Louis.

The meeting went on for several gruelling hours. Louis could barely remember half of what was discussed, but Harry seemed to be paying attention anyway so he didn't worry that much.

When they were finally allowed to take a break, the sun was glaring down at them, its beams burning Louis' skin. They all gathered in the Main Hall where benches were littered all over the stone floor.

"Well, that was fucking torture." Niall groaned, massaging his forehead.

"Do you think this is going to work?" Zayn asked, though he didn't sound that optimistic.

"I have no idea." Liam said with a shrug.

Louis turned to Harry, raising his eyebrow. The younger boy sighed. "I mean, it sounds a bit crazy and fruitless, but it might work if they really do discover something. But then again, the forest is pretty vast, and there's the risk of getting attacked and not being able to come back, so."

"We'll be taking rounds in groups, and certain areas will be assigned to certain groups. We've got the East-West end of the forest." Liam said, reading off of a notebook.

Eventually, they got tired of discussing the mission and sauntered off to various places. Harry had convinced Louis to bring him to the infirmary, to check on the girl they'd found unconscious on the road.

"I told you, you don't need to worry. The healers here are great." Louis tried to reassure the boy.

"I know, I just—I just want to make sure." Harry muttered.

The infirmary was in a separate three-story building, so they had to walk across the field to get there. Inside, it wasn't as chaotic as Louis had anticipated. They walked past several cots, trying to find the girl with blond hair (it was her only feature Louis could remember, which he soon realized wasn't that much helpful.)

As they were walking, Harry pulled him to a stop. Suddenly, he was being pulled to the side, hiding behind a tall wooden shelf.

"Harry? What are we doing?"

The younger boy ignored him and continued to peak from where he was hidden. Louis followed his gaze, landing on a robed healer carrying jars and bottles of medicine and herbs. When the lady finally walked past them, Harry turned to face him, his face suddenly pale.

"Harry?" Louis said uncertainly.

"The healer she had—she had an ink stem!" Harry said, gasping.

Louis frowned. "I've never heard that word in my life."

"It's, it's basically a rare plant. Its stem has this black liquid, and it's basically poison, Louis." Harry whispered feverishly.

Louis' frown even deepened, if possible. "Poison? Why would she—"

"It leaves no trace, Lou. They can easily make it look like a natural death." Harry said, more to himself now.

Louis reached out to grab his shoulders. "Hey, look, don't overthink it alright? Maybe you mistook the plant. This is the infirmary, Haz. They're here to heal them, not to poison them."

But even as Louis tried to convince Harry, his mind travelled back to when they'd found the girl on the road. She'd begged them not to bring him to a hospital because she said that they would kill her. "Us," she'd said. 

Somehow, he'd managed to force Harry out of the infirmary and back to their quarters. Louis didn't want to think about it, but there was truly something suspicious about that incident.

He had enough on his plate though, so he brushed it aside and took a well-needed nap instead.


	9. Chapter 9

When everyone in the room had gone still in their bunks, Harry quietly crept out of his bed, throwing blankets over his bunched up pillows. Once he was certain that the four Alphas were all deep asleep, he tiptoed towards the door, swinging the door open as quietly as he could.

Outside, it was silent and cold. Mysterious voices echoed down the hall, bouncing off the stone walls. Harry rubbed his palms together before striding down the hall, making sure that he wouldn't run into anyone.

When he'd made it past the main doors, he dashed across the empty field, shivering in the cold. The moon was full, shining brightly in all its might high above. He might've been imagining things, but he thought he heard a faint howl somewhere in the distance. Goosebumps appeared on his skin as he shook the thought away, focusing mainly on his task at hand.

The Infirmary building finally came into view. Despite the ungodly hour, he could still hear faint chatters inside. As he'd expected, healers didn't really rest that much, too busy looking after their patients.

Uncertainly, Harry pushed the door that was hanging ajar, then stepped inside cautiously. The hall was thankfully empty. He quietly walked to the corner where he had a clear view of the laid out beds with patients. There were three healers still milling around, tending to the wounded.

Harry's eyes widened when he spotted the young girl they'd brought here with them. She looked quite pale and frail, her thin frame lying limply on the bed. Harry couldn't help but feel disgust at the possibility that these healers could be using ink stem on them.

"Excuse me?"

Harry nearly jumped out of his skin, spinning around to find a woman, probably a few years older than him, looking at him questioningly. 

"Uh, hi…" Harry trailed off.

"Can I help you?" The woman asked kindly.

"Actually, yeah." Harry said, clearing his throat, "I'm Harry, one of the Winters. I was asked to come here and, well, explore the place?"

The woman's eyes widened at the mention of the Winters. "Why, of course! I'll show you around, Sir."

"Uh, it's just Harry." He said meekly.

"Right, Harry." She smiled warmly. "I'm Peyton, by the way. It's only my third month here, but don't worry, I know my way around here."

She led him past the patients and up the stairs at the end of the room, entering a room on the second floor. Harry looked around, trying to absorb everything. The place looked... historic. Even the healers wore some strangely medieval-inspired clothes.

"This is the brewing room, where he make the medicine. We make sure to refill the items and ingredients here daily. We use herbs and rare plants, of course." Peyton explained, gesturing towards the room.

Harry stepped inside, taking in the rows of tall wooden shelves occupied by herbs of various colors, glass jars and clay bottles filled with random medicinal liquids. On the table, though, Harry immediately spotted the ink stem. There was an entire bunch of them, tied together with a rubber band. 

"What are these?" Harry feigned innocence, picking up the ink stem plants.

Peyton's hands shot out and grabbed the plants from him, carefully placing them back on the table. "Ink stem, Sir—Harry, I mean. It's not safe to touch—"

"Poison, then?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow. "Why is there poison in your healing house?"

Peyton's eyes widened, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. "Well, you see, sometimes patients suffer terribly, and we are forced to end their misery and pain."

Harry hummed. "And what kind of patients do you usually use the poison on, then?"

Peyton gulped visibly. "Well, the bitten ones often have venom in their system already, so mostly them."

"If I'm not mistaken, there are many ways to heal the infected. Easy, efficient ways. Ending their lives to end their sufferings as you say sound a bit…pretentious." 

"Well, it's usually what's advised. I'm sorry, these are the rules. We simply follow." She said, her voice low and uncertain now.

Harry forced a smile to ease her. "I understand. Can we, uh, move on then?"

Peyton continued to show him around the Infirmary, but Harry's mind was elsewhere. His suspicion had been confirmed. 

And he didn't quite know what to do with this knowledge.

*

When Louis woke up, he immediately turned to look towards Harry's bunk. He smiled unconsciously, seeing the boy's entire body completely wrapped in blankets. Harry always got cold.

Before he could get up, though, someone entered the room. Louis frowned as his eyes landed on Harry—an exhausted, pale, and quite disoriented-looking Harry. Harry didn't notice him and peeled his clothes off before collapsing onto his apparently unoccupied bed.

Louis sat up in confusion, about to open his mouth to ask Harry where he'd come from, but then the boy was already fast asleep.

Louis didn't bring it up even as they were walking towards the field for breakfast. He just kept an arm over the younger boy's shoulders since he obviously lacked sleep.

When they were all finally seated on the table—Louis sitting next to Harry, of course—Niall yawned obscenely and stretched his arms over his head.

"We start today, don't we?" Niall asked before taking a bite from his sandwich.

"Yeah. We'll be with the Easton Alphas. We're supposed to make rounds on our assigned area and then come back before sundown. If we're not here then, a rescue party will be sent immediately." Liam said.

"Why the fuck does it have to be so cold," Zayn grumbled, wrapping his arms around himself. "I never understood why we had to eat out in the open field."

They busied themselves with their food for a few good minutes, the only sound being their clanking plates and utensils.

"Uh, you guys take care." Harry said softly. "I know you did this all the time, but you know, keep safe."

It was as if his words had changed the entire mood of the table, and then they were all smiling at the younger boy. Louis gave his arm a comforting squeeze. "Of course, Haz."

"Here," Harry said as he reached into his pockets, "I've got you some ointments. According to the healers, if you've got a really bad scar or bite, you could apply this to prevent infection or the venom or poison to spread. I checked the herbs used, they're safe."

They all watched as Harry handed them circular containers. 

"Where'd you get this?" Niall said with an amused smile.

"The Infirmary. They use it for first aid, so it makes sense that you have it." Harry said.

"What about you though, you're gonna be fine here?" Zayn asked.

"I'm supposed to be at Commander Roy's office later. I'll be with the other trainees, we'll be given some stuff to do." He paused to look up at their worried faces, then added cheekily, "Nothing I can't handle."

Sooner rather than later, they had to part ways. Louis gave Harry a warm embrace, cradling the boy's head to his chest.

"We'll be back before sundown. I expect your assignment will be done by then too?" Louis asked.

He felt Harry nod against him. "Yep. Go on, you can't be late."

They pulled away and gave each other quick smiles, and then Louis was on his way towards the forest.

*

Apparently, Harry's assignment was clean-up. He knew Louis wouldn't be pleased if he found out, since he'd been so against the idea when Benedict had suggested it back at the mansion. 

Harry found himself with three other trainees who had yet to present. In the meantime, they were supposed to do the "easier" tasks, and Commander Roy would be the judge of whether or not they were fit to become future Alpha Troopers of the Fort. If any of them messed up, they'd be kicked out instantly.

"Have you ever seen a beast's corpse?" The boy asked him—Fionn, Harry remembered his name—as they walked through the field.

Harry nodded, sparing a glance over his shoulder to make sure that the other two were following them. "Yeah. I had to learn the anatomy of it, so. It was pretty disgusting."

Fionn nodded thoughtfully. "Huh. It really is tough in the Winter mansion, then?"

"You could say that," Harry murmured, absently tracing a scar on his forearm.

"Guys!"

Harry and Fionn turned around to face their other two companions. Cristine was pointing towards one of the stone buildings, where the corpse of a beast lay.

"Ugh, this is disgusting!" Anika moaned, grudgingly trudging down towards the body.

The four of them were surrounding the six-foot long beast, staring at its gaping mouth and bleeding neck.

"Why did no one think of bringing a fucking cart? Are we going to carry this?" Cristine deadpanned, arms crossed.

"I'll get one, I can't stand the smell." Anika announced, jogging towards the direction they'd come from.

While his companions wore disgusted looks, Harry felt sick to his stomach, not because it smelled absolutely horrific or that its exposed guts wasn't a pretty sight, but it still felt wrong to him to kill these creatures. He knew people would say he was crazy, even Louis told him as kindly as possible that he was practically mad, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't explain it, either.

"Winter boy," Cristine said, snapping a finger in front of his face, "you okay?"

Harry laughed in embarrassment. "Yeah. Um, what do they do with the bodies anyway?"

"I think they burn them? There are stories about dead beasts coming back to life and whatnot—" Fionn began.

"Yup, stories to scare six-year-olds, genius." Cristine snapped. "From what I know, there's a group of Troopers that study their bodies. Finding ways to kill them off easier. Trying to find out if it's true that they're evolving and stuff. Gee, I don't know, maybe they sell the parts to the black market. Beast venom and their heart's pretty useful, you know. Some say it fills the belly just like pig meat."

Harry grimaced. "Okay, fucking ew."

Cristine laughed. "Fucking ew indeed."

The sound of a branch snapping caught their attention, and then they were on their feet in seconds, staring wordlessly at the creature before them.

"Not again," Harry muttered in annoyance, watching carefully as a very much alive beast revealed itself from the forest's shadows.

"Oh hell no, we're not cut out for this!" Cristine hissed, grabbing her sword.

Fionn was breathing abnormally, looking impossibly pale. "What are we going to do?"

"Aren't there any Troopers around?" Harry whispered shakily, panic creeping up into his chest.

And then the beast was right there standing a few feet from them, and with a few more steps they'd be pressed up against the wall.

"It thinks we killed its friend!" Fionn cried unhelpfully.

"Let's hope Anika returns with someone," Cristine whispered.

For a moment, everyone was frozen, staring at each other. Once again, Harry found himself getting lost in the creature's eyes. These were green—just like his.

And then there was a blood-curling howl, and the beast was leaping towards them. Harry dived to the left while Cristine and Fionn to the right. Quite bravely, Cristine raised her sword at the beast and swung, slicing at its skin.

Fionn was frozen in the corner, eyes wide in horror. Harry pushed himself up onto his feet and pulled his dagger from his weapons belt, aiming for the back of the beast's neck. He could remember Louis' words, it was the ultimate kill-zone.

And then Cristine was yelping, her sword flying out of her grip after being smacked away by the beast. Luckily she was quick, rolling out of the way just as the beast lunged at where she'd been standing mere seconds ago.

"Run!" She cried.

And so they did. Of course, they had no chance in outrunning the beast anyway, so Harry decided to take a sudden turn while his friends continued to run forward. That way, he'd be the only one in grave danger. Brilliant plan.

The beast trailed after him, as he'd hoped, and then he was making random turns, slipping between trees and ducking to avoid branches. His legs were quivering under the effort, and maybe out of fear too, but he didn't stop.

That was until he tripped, of course.

The beast was right there in his face, jaws slack as it opened its mouth to tear him to pieces.

"Stop! Stop!" Harry cried urgently, holding his hands out in front of him in a sign of surrender.

To his utter astonishment, the beast did stop. It stared at him with what almost looked like questioning eyes. 

What the fuck?

It growled when it saw the rose dagger, so Harry weakly tossed it to the side, carefully raising his hands again to show the beast that he was weaponless.

"I'm not like them, I'm not a killer. I don't like it when they kill. I really don't," Harry breathed, unable to think straight.

The beast grunted, then took a step back, giving Harry some time to breathe, so Harry sucked in a deep breath. This didn't even seem real—a beast stopping and deciding not to kill him because he'd asked it to.

"Harry!"

He heard Cristine's cry from a distance, no doubt having spotted him already. Harry frantically turned to the beast, eyes wide.

"Go! Leave! If they find you here, you're dead!" Harry whisper-yelled.

The beast made a sound at the back of its throat, sniffing the air. It must've seen several figures making their way to them as well, because it slowly began to back up, eyes still locked on Harry.

And perhaps Harry had gone completely mad, but he swore the beast tilted its head—as if to give him a quick nod—before disappearing into the forest.


	10. Chapter 10

The ointment Harry had given him was halfway empty when the day ended. 

They'd just survived an attack from five beasts, and for the first time in his life, Louis felt hopeless. These beasts were relentless and never seemed to run out. He'd garnered a generous amount of wounds during the fight, which was where Harry's ointment gift went into a very well-appreciated use.

It was finally sundown and Louis and his group had made it back to the Fort. The Easton Alphas included Jeremy and Paulo, who were both very skilled fighters, but apparently didn't know how to work with others. Throughout the entire mission, they'd kept to themselves and practically ignored Louis and the others, resulting in too much miscommunications and misunderstandings.

They'd scourged their area as assigned, but there was nothing to be found. Aside from some scraps of clothes and random items they'd found along the way (which they believed belonged to the missing persons) they didn't accomplish anything, aside from nearly getting killed, of course.

They didn't find any nest, either. It had just proved as a fruitless and desperate attempt.

"That was terrible." Niall grumbled tiredly.

The Main Hall was packed with Troopers who'd all arrived from their missions. Everyone looked as unsuccessful and glum as they did.

Commander Roy was sat down on one of the tables, speaking to numerous Troopers. Liam sighed from beside Louis, patting him on the shoulder as he made his way towards Roy, to report about their findings—or lack thereof.

"You guys up for Fight Night? There's one later. Might help get rid of our stress." Zayn said, chugging down a bottle of water.

"Yeah sure," Louis agreed absently, since it had always been something they did around here.

Louis decided to leave the Main Hall and walked outside, planning to sit down on one of the tables and perhaps get something to eat, when a group of people all crowded together around one table caught his eye.

"…much, and then I swear it just left! Harry commanded the monster, I saw it myself!"

Louis' ears pricked up at that, snapping his head to the side so fast he was scared he'd gotten a whiplash. For a moment he thought he might've heard wrong, but then the girl continued speaking, arguing with someone.

"Oh yeah? Then how come he's alive? The beast was literally at his face ready to eat him, and then he raises his hands and it flees!" The girl said in a high-pitched voice. "I'm not making this up! Ask the others, they saw it too!"

Louis was hovering near the table now, eyes widening when he realized that Harry was in fact sitting at that table, surrounded by so many people. He'd only gotten a glimpse of the boy because people were blocking his view immediately.

"What's going on here?" Louis said loudly, straightening his posture as they all turned to look at him. He realized that they all seemed to be trainees.

Some of the kids immediately walked off, giving Louis a better view of Harry, who looked very uncomfortable in his seat.

"Harry, I need to speak with you." Louis said.

The boy excused himself, looking relieved when he had finally escaped the crowd. Louis grabbed his arm and dragged him away from the tables, a frown prominent on his face.

"Haz? What was that?" Louis asked in concern.

Harry looked quite disheveled, from his messy hair and pinkish cheeks. "Well, something kind of happened earlier…"

"What happened? Are you hurt? Who—" Louis immediately jumped in, blood already boiling.

"Chill out!" Harry said in exasperation. "Look, basically we—"

"Harry!"

They turned at the stern sound of Liam's voice who was marching towards them with a serious expression. 

"Is it true you've encountered a beast? And you challenged it alone?" Liam said incredulously.

Louis' gaze shifted between the two before the words sunk in. "What?"

And then Harry was groaning loudly, looking like he wanted to carve his eyes out.

"Can you guys shut up for a second?" Harry deadpanned, looking absolutely unimpressed.

Louis and Liam gaped at him, cut off from what they were saying.

"I…I think I discovered something." Harry said slowly, as if he was telling them a secret. "Yes, I did have an incident with a beast but listen—I spoke to it! Lou, Liam, they're not monsters. It understood me when I told it to run away before they arrived and killed him."

The two Alphas stared at him as if he'd grown an extra head. A moment of silence passed, and then,

"Harry? Have you hit your head?" Liam asked worriedly.

This time, Harry groaned and pulled at his hair. "No, Liam! Why can't you see what I'm trying to say? The creature didn't kill me because I didn't attack him! I spoke to him!"

"Him?" Louis echoed unsurely, eyeing the boy.

Harry stomped his feet irritably and marched away from them, face red from either embarrassment or annoyance. Probably both.

"Well, that happened." Liam said, staring after the curly-haired boy.

"What on earth was he on about?" Louis said more to himself.

Liam just sighed. "Harry is…a confusing person. Nothing new."

Liam turned to walk back to the Fort, but when Louis didn't follow him, he tapped his shoulder. "You're not coming in?"

"I need to talk to him." Louis said, walking towards the direction Harry went on and ignoring Liam's calls.

He found the boy sitting on a fallen log just by the edge of the forest, aggressively pulling out weed and grass from the soil.

"You shouldn't be here. It's dangerous." Louis said, taking a seat beside him.

"Well, maybe I kind of want a beast to apear so that I can show you what I'm trying to tell you. But clearly, your mind is screwed shut and you can't seem to open your mind to what I'm saying." Harry said quite shakily from anger.

Louis put a hand on Harry's trembling ones, intertwining their fingers without another thought. "I'm sorry. I just—I can't understand what you're trying to tell me. I'm sorry."

Harry visibly relaxed under his touch. Gingerly, Louis pulled the boy closer so that his head was tucked under his chin. Cuddling always helped cool him down.

"Never mind what I said." Harry muttered.

"Harry—"

"Seriously. I'll drop it for now."

And that was where their conversation ended. They stayed wrapped up in each other for quite some time before Louis spoke again.

"There's this event later. Basically, it's the Alphas' night. A night to fool around and have fun, to forget our problems." Louis said.

"Are you going?"

"Originally, but if you—"

"No, let's go. I'm going too." Harry said, pulling away and stretching his body before standing up.

Louis stood up as well. "You sure?"

"Yep." 

*

Louis' idea of a "fun" night truly didn't meet Harry's. They were sitting by a bonfire, and although Harry appreciated the calm, camping-vibe, it was all ruined when they started the "Fight Night."

Troopers were pit against each other and forced to fight in front of everyone, wherein a lot of betting and blood was involved.

Louis looked quite guilty, probably realizing a bit too late that Harry wouldn't appreciate this. Still, Louis kept a secure arm around his waist and kept him close throughout the entire night.

That was until Louis' name was brought up for the battles.

"Tomlinson! Come on, give us a show!" One of the Alphas whooped, dragging Louis onto his feet and subsequently removing him from Harry's side.

"It's alright mate, I'm not feeling it tonight—"

"Oh come on! Here, let's have Easton join you. Yeah!" 

Louis tried to wriggle out of the man's hold and twisted his body to look at Harry. Harry just gave him a sad smile, not really seeing how he could get out of this now.

The crowd cheered loudly when Louis finally gave in and stood in the middle, taking his shirt off and tossing it to the side. The Easton guy—Jeremy, apparently—did the same thing, standing in front of Louis.

"Alright! Is it the Winter Alpha or the Easton," a man appeared somewhere near Harry, clearly asking for bets.

Harry rolled his eyes and tried not to worry. The fight was just a playful thing, they probably wouldn't hurt each other more than necessary. Harry watched as Louis showed off his well-defined abs and biceps. The bonfire created beautiful shadows on his body, outlining his sharp and soft edges.

Harry spaced out for a bit that he didn't realize that the battle had already begun. Jeremy immediately leaped forward, tackling Louis to the ground. Louis immediately flipped them over though, and then he was on top, delivering punches. Harry was a bit shocked, seeing as these two obviously took the games a bit too seriously.

People cheered and whooped, but Harry had seen enough violence and blood. He stood up and pushed his way out of the thick crowd, internally cursing at how everyone was basically towering over him and blocking his line of sight. Harry was sweating and panting when he finally managed to escape the crowd. He took a deep breath of fresh air and began walking towards one of the trees.

Before he could get there, he bumped into another body and nearly fell to the ground.

"I'm sorry lad, didn't see you." The guy apologized.

Harry tried to hide his embarrassment with an awkward laugh. "It's fine."

He looked up at the person and immediately frowned. The guy probably noticed this, causing him to awkwardly scratch the back of his neck.

"Uh, what's wrong?" He asked.

Harry shook his head, "I just—have we met?"

"Um, I'm Aaron McCarter. I know you from when we were at the Winters' mansion, maybe you recognize me from there?" Aaron suggested.

Harry's frown deepened. "No, I don't think I saw you there."

Aaron's blue eyes looked very familiar, but he was sure he hadn't spoken to him back in the mansion. He wasn't sure why this was such a big deal to him, but it made him feel quite uneasy and slightly annoyed.

"Oh," Aaron said with a laugh. "Well. You're Harry, right? Louis' little bro?"

Harry nodded, and although he still felt a little bothered, he just tried to push his thoughts aside. "Yup, that's me. I'm sorry for acting weird, I just can't put my finger on why I find you so familiar. I'm weird that way, I can't stop thinking about something unless I figure it out."

Aaron nodded thoughtfully. "Nah, that's understandable. Maybe you're confused between me and my twin? Aren's his name. Maybe you met him."

"Maybe. Is he here?" Harry asked.

Aaron's smile suddenly fell, replaced by a glum look. "He's been missing for weeks now. We were with your brother Niall for a mission when we got attacked. He couldn't be found."

Harry squeezed his arm comfortingly. "I'm sure the Troopers are doing everything to find him."

"Well yeah, I join the search parties all the time. All we've found are scraps of his clothes. His phone, even. But that's it." Aaron said quietly.

Harry smiled sadly. "I'm sure you'll find him. If not now, soon."

Their conversation was cut when Fionn and Cristine spotted him and dragged him away, sitting him down on a table.

"Why were you talking to Aaron McCarter?" Fionn asked curiously.

"Nothing. Just bumped into him. Literally."

Suddenly, plastic cups were being shoved into their hands. Cristine winked at them both, saying, "Drink up, lads!"

Harry and Fionn both looked at their cups uncertainly.

"Oh shove off, I didn't poison it!" Cristine said, affronted.

Harry just laughed and took a sip. It tasted fruity and a bit too sweet for his taste, but it was good enough.

"So Harry, can you tell me your secret in controlling the beasts now?" Cristine asked, eyebrow raised.

Harry groaned. "We've been over this. I don't have special powers or whatever. I just, I don't know, talked to him."

Fionn and Cristine burst out laughing. Harry just rolled his eyes, knowing for a fact that no one could understand what he was trying to say.

"Whatever, let's just drink." Harry grumbled.

After that, everything else was a blur. Harry was certain that the next cup passed over to him contained alcohol, and he knew he was a lightweight and his four Alpha brothers would give him so much shit for this, but oh well.


	11. Chapter 11

Louis definitely did not want to go for round two.

He'd beaten Jeremy in the first round, but only barely. The Alpha seemed to have some deep seated anger and punched a bit too hard, so no, Louis would very much not like to battle that Alpha again, thank you very much.

A healer was busy tending to his wounds when a clearly plastered Niall appeared, punching his fist into the air. "Good one mate! I thought I'd lose a few hundred bucks there for a second, but of course you came through."

Louis laughed in amusement. "You bet a hundred bucks on me?"

"It's good investment," Niall said dismissively.

"Sure." Louis rolled his eyes. "Where are the others?"

"Zayn and Liam were with some girls earlier, god knows where they are now," Niall said with a wink.

"And Harry?" Louis said.

Niall stared blankly for a moment. "Uh, dunno."

Louis was immediately on his feet. "You don't know? He was just sitting there before the fight."

Niall wasn't paying attention anymore, instead gulping down a cup of beer in one go. "Whoo!" 

And then the blonde Alpha was walking away without a care in the world, grabbing drinks from random tables as he went.

Louis apologized to the healer beside him and excused himself to look for Harry. He felt bad for leaving Harry like that, and of course Niall wouldn't stay sober long enough to look after him. Louis squeezed through the people, ignoring the dull pain all over his body from the fight.

He walked around in random directions for nearly half an hour until his eyes finally landed on a familiar mop of curls. His eyes immediately darkened.

Harry's back was pressed against a tree, and right in front of him was none other the Jaron, towering over the sixteen-year-old. Even from a distance, Louis could tell that Harry was drunk, from his glassy unfocused eyes and tinted cheeks. Jaron's arms caged Harry on the spot, and Louis saw red when the man leaned in to whisper something in Harry's ear.

The next thing he knew, he was grabbing Jaron by his shirt and shoving him away from the boy.

"What the fuck?" Jaron growled, but then his eyes widened when he realized it was Louis.

"You can leave now. I'll take care of Harry." Louis said, a growl leaving his mouth unconsciously.

Jaron looked like he wanted to protest for a moment, eyes flicking from Harry to Louis, but then he just gave Louis a nod before disappearing into the crowd.

"Cock block."

Louis' looked at Harry in surprise, who burst into laughter. Louis shook his head and threw Harry's arm over his shoulder, leading the boy across the field. Louis had never seen Harry drunk, probably because of the fact that it wasn't like him to get wasted, which was why he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing.

"How much did you drink?" Louis said in disbelief as they'd made it into the stone building.

"Didn't know it was alcohol at first. It was some fruity punch at first and then, ya know." Harry mumbled.

Louis led the stumbling boy up the stairs, ignoring his incoherent sentences and words. When they'd finally made it to their quarters, Louis closed the door behind them and laid Harry down on his bed. Harry was talking about some girl named Cristine when Louis began rummaging through his things to find him some decent clothes to change into.

"…and then she told me I was dumb for not realizing it sooner. Said I was very dense." Harry was saying.

Louis groaned absently, pulling out a plain white shirt and a pair of sweatpants. "Let's change your clothes."

Harry obliged, raising his arms so that Louis could pull his shirt off and put on the new shirt. Louis then proceeded to pull off his impossibly tight jeans, immediately replacing it with sweatpants.

"Don't you think?" Harry said, poking Louis' arm.

"What?"

"I said, I think Jaron likes me."

Louis snorted. "No shit."

Harry frowned at that. "What, you don't like him?"

Louis sighed, tossing Harry's dirty clothes into the hamper and sitting down beside Harry. "I mean, he's your trainer. A teacher, basically. It's pretty weird. Plus he's old."

"He's not that old!"

"Yes he is."

"He's like twenty-three or something—"

"I said drop it, Harry." Louis snapped, voice low. "You're not going out with him. That's the end of it."

Harry crossed his arms over his chest, looking out the window. "You never like anyone. You always say they're not good enough. At this rate I'm going to grow old alone."

Louis rolled his eyes, sighing. "You know I only want what's good for you."

Harry didn't answer and continued to stare out the window, ignoring his presence. Louis carefully pulled the boy towards him so that he was snuggled to his side, and played with his curls.

"What are you thinking?" Louis asked after a few moments of silence.

"Stuff."

"Care to be more specific?"

Harry twisted his body so that he was facing Louis, his eyes suddenly wide. "Louis! I remember now!"

Louis frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Aaron. He looked familiar. I know why! He told me his twin brother Aren was missing, but I saw him! At the markets!" Harry said.

Louis dismissed his words as drunken babble."Oh, okay. Well, you can tell him tomorrow, but you have to sleep now."

"He had the same blue eyes, Lou! A shade darker than yours—definitely not prettier than yours—but that's what I remember. I recognized Aaron earlier not because I've seen him before, but because I've seen his twin at the markets on that day of the attack…" Harry continued.

"Mhm."

"You're not listening, are you?" 

"Nope."

"Argh!" Harry moaned, flopping down forcefully on top of Louis and burying his head in the Alpha's chest.

Louis looked down at the boy just to realize that Harry was already looking up at him. His brilliant green eyes were sparkling in the dim light of the room, and the faint pinkish color on his cheeks made him even more beautiful than usual. Louis' eyes trailed down to Harry's slightly parted pink lips, finding himself wondering how they would taste, or how soft they would be. Absently, Louis reached down and ran a thumb over the boy's bottom lip.

"Whatcha thinking 'bout, Lou?" Harry asked softly, eyes slowly drooping.

"You."

It was a bit overwhelming. He knew from the very start that he cared very deeply for the boy, and that he had a fierce sense of protectiveness over him. He thought that that feeling came with being an older brother to Harry, and that Zayn, Liam, and Niall probably all felt the same way. But right now, lying silently with Harry's face mere inches from his, he began to doubt all he'd believed.

He loved Harry, that was for sure. But it didn't feel so…brotherly lately.

"I think about you too." Harry mumbled, eyes finally slipping shut. "Even dream about you."

Louis just watched as Harry's breathing slowed down, his eyelashes fluttering in his sleep. He watched the calm rise and fall of the boy's chest, and then his eyes were locked on Harry's lips again.

Eventually, he fell asleep to the thought of Harry's kiss, only this time, he didn't worry much about how wrong it might seem.

*

Harry grumpily sat at the table the following morning, face twisted in a frown. Louis just smiled at him fondly, knowing that this was the boy's first hangover.

"Morning lads," Niall greeted as he sat down, looking all bright and cheery.

Harry glared at him. "How are you so…happy? I clearly remember you being terribly drunk last night."

"Oh, but not as drunk as you were, little bro." Niall teased with a wink.

Zayn watched the two, looking amused. "Had a fun night, Haz?"

Harry grimaced. "No. I hate alcohol, I'm never drinking again."

Zayn's laugh was drowned out by Liam's voice as he finally arrived to join them for breakfast. "You guys ready for another shift?"

"Way to ruin our morning, Liam." Louis said in annoyance.

Louis really didn't like their missions. It was stupid to go so deep into the forest, looking blindly for nests or whatever it was the Commanders were looking for. Not to mention very dangerous and foolish.

"Just saying," Liam defended weakly.

It wasn't long until Louis and the other Alphas had to get ready for their shifts, causing everyone to leave.

"Where are you assigned to today, Harry?" Louis asked as they stood up.

"The archives, apparently. After the incident the other day, Commander Roy agreed to keep us inside the buildings for now. Since the other trainees I was with are still a bit shaken and spooked out." Harry explained.

Louis sighed in relief. "Well thank goodness for that. We'll be back later, alright? Take care."

Harry snorted. "Don't worry, I'll try not to let tall shelves fall on top of me and crush me."

Louis ruffled his hair, his hands then finding its way to cup Harry's cheeks. "I'm serious. Be careful."

Harry looked up at him with those same bright eyes as last night. "Will do."

The younger boy kissed his cheek before turning around and stalking back towards the Fort. Louis just stared at his retreating figure with a dopey smile.

"Have you told him yet?"

Louis nearly jumped out of his skin, glaring when he realized that Aaron was watching from a short distance.

"Nothing to tell." Louis muttered lamely.

Aaron just gave him a knowing look before walking ahead and leaving Louis alone with his thoughts again.

*

Thankfully, no beasts tried to intervene during Harry's shift. Fionn, Cristine, and Anika were quiet as well as they tidied up the archives and put the books in order.

"I still can't get over how big this place is," Cristine mused.

Harry had to agree. The archives probably had hundreds and thousands of books, all laid out in an impressive array of towering wooden shelves. The library back in the Winter mansion was nothing against this.

There were rows of long oakwood tables laid out in the middle of the room, although they were all unoccupied.

"These scrolls are probably, like, five times our age. That's pretty cool." Anika said from three shelves away.

Harry was currently arranging some scrolls as well, but then his eyes caught something. There was a large, leather-wrapped book with the illustration of a man, wherein the other half of his face was that of a wolf.

Harry glanced over his shoulder, and after making sure that everyone was busy, he quietly opened the book. It contained the usual information about werewolves like himself—powerful beings with incredible strength, speed, and endurance. It was odd to find a piece of writing so old that it described werewolves as beings who had two physical forms: human and wolf.

Just like everyone else, he'd been taught that they were no longer able to transform. Those who tried were often unsuccessful, and those who forced it often wound up dead. The last time it was considered normal for a werewolf to transform was several decades ago.

Harry wondered how their world would be now if their generation still had that ability.

Harry continued to flip through the frail, thin pages, skimming the written passages and texts about their kind. Everything else he knew, though there was one sentence that stood out for him.

'After a werewolf transforms from its human to wolf form (and vice versa) the only physically retained feature are the eyes.'

His mind went back to last night when he was talking to Louis. He couldn't remember all that much, but he'd said something about having seen Aren McCarter, Aaron's missing twin, in the markets on that eventful day…

"Fionn?" Harry called out.

"Uh, yeah?" He heard Fionn's voice from the other side of the shelf.

"Have you ever heard of people who can still transform?" Harry asked.

Silence. And then, "You mean like, someone being able to transform into their wolf form?"

"Yeah."

"My great grandparents probably, but anyone I know now. I mean, we've sort of evolved now. No one has the ability to do that anymore."

"How would you feel if there was?"

Fionn seemed to consider that for a moment. "I guess that'd be cool. But dangerous as well. You know what they say about people's wolf forms. Once you change, you kind of lose your humanity. Until all that's left of you is the animalistic side. That's what my Grandma used to tell me all the time." 

Harry didn't say anything after that, lost in his own thoughts. His head was swirling with suspicions and theories, he felt like it might just explode.


	12. Chapter 12

Louis ducked just as Harry's sword whipped past his head, spinning on his spot to deliver a blow. Harry easily blocked his attempt, and then continued to parry Louis' other strikes. The sound of their swords clanking together sounded through the empty field, as well as Harry's bark of laughter when Louis was unable to block Harry's hit this time.

Harry pressed the tip of his sword against Louis' neck, looking smug and quite pleased with himself. "You have been defeated."

Louis raised his eyebrow challengingly. "Oh, but have I?"

In a blink of an eye, Louis was standing behind Harry, pressing the boy's back to his chest with an arm around his shoulders. The Alpha's other hand held the sword with its blade pressed against Harry's neck, while Harry's sword had been knocked out of his hand and was now lying on the grass.

"You cheat!" Harry gasped.

Louis laughed, letting him go. "No. You didn't have me cornered just yet. You didn't even disarm me, Harry. A true opponent won't give up until they've lost their weapon."

Harry crossed his arms over his chest. "Fine."

He laughed, ruffling the boy's curls. "Don't be so glum, you're actually improving. Really, you're doing great."

And all that fatigue and body pain was suddenly worth it as Harry beamed up at him, his eyes now squinted due to how wide he was smiling. "For real?"

"For real." Louis laughed.

They picked up their things and began walking through the field and back towards the Fort. They'd been practicing since around 1am, and it was now 4am. Although it was cold and the grass was wet, Louis didn't complain once. Harry's mere presence pretty much gave him all the energy and warmth he needed.

"We should get some rest before our shifts begin again." Louis said.

Harry nodded, glancing at the forest when he thought of how the older Alphas had to walk into that place later and risk their lives yet again. He just hoped that none of Louis and the others would have to make that sacrifice.

*

After returning from their shift in the forest hours later, Louis found himself sitting in a quiet table for dinner.

Even Harry, who was usually a radiating ball of sunshine and happiness looked quite miserable as he stared blankly into the distance, eyes distant and dull.

"Did something happen earlier? Anyone giving you shit?" Louis asked worriedly, voice low so that only Harry could hear him.

"I'm fine."

Clearly not, judging by the seemingly permanent scowl and furrowed eyebrows on his face. 

"You sure?" Louis pushed.

To his surprise, Harry grumbled, "Stop acting like a mom or something."

Louis just gaped, while Niall barked an amused laugh. Even Zayn and Liam seemed to be fighting back a chuckle.

Their food was served, and before the plate was even fully placed on the table, Harry was already digging in. The four Alphas watched the youngest boy curiously as he unceremoniously wolfed down his meal.

"Uh, did Commander Roy starve you guys or something?" Zayn said with a small laugh.

Harry shrugged carelessly. "No. We built traps earlier, but that was it."

The boy continued to eat after that, almost like he hadn't had a proper meal in days. Louis was still quite uneasy but just let it slide for now, turning to eat his food.

They were served some bread and fried fish, along with some steamed vegetables. Louis wasn't big on vegetables so he just pushed those aside mindlessly.

"One of the Troopers have gone missing." Liam said out of the blue, "Apparently, she'd gotten separated from her group. They expected her to find her way back on her own, but when they returned, she wasn't here."

"Who was it?" Niall asked.

"A girl named Amelia. Don't know her personally, but she happens to be a great soldier. It's odd that she'd be the one who goes missing." Liam said.

"Well, maybe if they stopped this senseless forest exploration, then Troopers won't go missing or end up injured." Louis sighed.

Zayn squeezed his shoulder. "We're Troopers. We don't get to choose what mission to do. Only that we accomplish it and follow whatever the Commander tells us."

Louis groaned, knowing that Zayn was right. As much as he didn't want to feel like some puppet at someone's every beck and call, that was exactly what they'd been trained for all their lives.

There was a poke on his shoulder, and then Harry asked, "You gonna eat that?"

Louis raised an eyebrow and smiled in amusement. "No, you can very much have the vegetables."

Harry immediately transferred the food to his empty plate and began to eat. When Louis stared at him for too long, he snapped, "What?"

Louis raised his hands in surrender. "I just—you know how I worry, Haz. You seem stressed."

Harry's glare softened a bit. "Alright, maybe I am feeling a little off. Like I'm coming down with something. I don't know."

Louis' hands immediately flew up to touch Harry's forehead. "Hm. You haven't got a fever, but it's possible you might be getting a cold. You can tell Commander Roy you're sick—"

"Lou," Harry gently said, prying his hands off his forehead, "that won't be necessary. I'm totally fine."

"You sure?"

A pointed look from Harry shut him up immediately.

On the way back to their quarters, Louis walked behind Harry and Niall who were having an animated discussion about who knew what. It would've been invisible to anyone else's eyes, but Louis could clearly see how Harry's shoulders sagged and how he took deep, long breaths as though he was having a hard time breathing or dealing with some sort of pain. He looked pale as well.

"I think this is it," Liam said, falling into a step beside him. 

"What are you talking about?"

"Harry's about to present." Zayn chimed in from his other side. "The symptoms are pretty obvious, mate."

Louis stopped on his tracks, eyes wide and mouth dropping open, scrabbling for something to say. They were right! How could he have not noticed that?

"Holy shit—" Louis began in panic.

"Hey, calm down. I'll let Commander Roy know so that he can rest for tomorrow." Liam said.

"I'm staying with Harry, he'll need me." Louis said.

"Fine, I can tell him that too." Liam said comfortingly. "You can talk to Harry about it tomorrow. Let him rest for tonight."

Louis nodded nervously. "Okay."

When they were all finally settled in their beds, Louis just stared up at the ceiling, fairly certain the he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. He stole a glance at Harry who was wrapped in his blankets, eyes closed. He noticed how the boy seemed to be restless, continuously changing his position and twisting around.

Louis could still remember the day he presented as clear as day. He was sixteen, much like Harry now, and they were busy training as usual. He'd already noticed that he was irritable for some reason, so he thought it was best if he just stayed away from the others and kept to himself. That way, they wouldn't have to be around to annoy him.

Louis couldn't sleep the night before, so he was uncoordinated and messed up during practice. Liam had noticed his state and asked him if he was alright, only for Louis to snap at him and flip him off.

Since Louis was the eldest among them all, none of his brothers picked up on the fact that Louis was going to present. Benedict wasn't there either, and their trainers often left right after their practice sessions.

So, Louis had been left to deal with his inexplicable misery and annoyance at everything. At one point during that day, he'd locked himself in his room and punched a hole into his wooden cabinet. Then, he was throwing the tall mirror into his wall across the room, effectively shattering it into small pieces.

He'd felt so frustrated and—violent. Every fiber in his body was buzzing, his skin feeling abnormally hot as if it was being scorched by fire. Every little thing annoyed the living shit out of him—his stupid, messy clothes, the books thrown all over the room, the small indent on his door from where he'd kicked it just now, and—

"Louis?"

His head snapped to the side, finding Harry staring at him from the doorway. His green eyes widened when he took in the shattered glass and all the wreck Louis had caused. Harry looked a bit reluctant at first, before pushing the door open wider and stepping in.

Louis growled at that. "What do you fucking want?"

Harry flinched at his tone, a look of fear flashing over his face. But then it was gone, replaced by a look of concern. "You're bleeding, Lou. Let me fix it."

The younger boy didn't wait for a response before strolling across the room into his bathroom, and the emerging back out carrying a first aid kit.

Louis turned his back on the boy just as Harry took out a piece of clean cotton to clean his wound caused by a stray glass shard.

"Louis, you need to—"

"Fuck off Harry! I don't want your help!" Louis yelled, his blood suddenly boiling, body feeling like it was on fire.

Harry clamped his mouth shut. Louis glared at the boy with such intensity that Harry tore his gaze away and looked down at his feet.

"I'm sorry. I just—what's troubling you? You know you can tell me—" Harry began, voice soft.

What happened next still haunted Louis up to do this day. Suddenly, all Louis could see was red, all he could hear was the sound of his blood rushing to his head, all he felt was anger and the monstrous thirst for violence. Louis growled loudly, grabbing Harry by his shirt and slamming him against the concrete wall, hard.

Harry cried out in pain, misty eyes widening in fear as Louis leaned in towards him, his eyes glinting with malice.

"Can't you fucking take a hint, you useless piece of shit?" Louis growled dangerously low, face inches from Harry's trembling one.

"I'm s-sorry! You're hurting me Lou—"

"Maybe I fucking want to, didn't you think of that?" Louis snapped, eyes fiery with seething anger Harry never thought he'd see directes at him.

"Why are you like this," Harry cried, fat tears trickling down his pale cheeks.

Harry gasped in pain when Louis grabbed him by the neck, squeezing. Harry began to panic and claw at Louis' hands, but it was no use. He didn't understand what was happening. Was Louis really going to choke him to death? All Harry could do was sob desperately, finding it harder and harder to breathe by the second.

Louis barely registered what he was doing. All he knew was that he felt absolutely powerful, felt like he had all the strength in the world, and all his deep seated anger just exploded out of nowhere. Not at Harry, though. He wasn't mad at the boy, he never could be. He just happened to be there in the worst possible time. Louis didn't want to hurt him, but his Alpha sure felt violent today.

Then there was the sound of the door slamming open and a panicked cry. Louis felt something hard collide with his head, causing him to stumble backwards and nearly topple over. Liam tackled him to the ground, though, pinning him there. Louis dazedly looked around, eyes falling on an unconscious and terrifyingly pale Harry on the ground.

And then Louis was flailing and twisting beneath Liam, anger filling in his every part, anger at whoever had done this to Harry when—

"What did you fucking do Louis?!" came Zayn's panicked cry as he knelt down beside the unconscious thirteen-year-old.

Realization dawned on him. He'd done that. He'd hurt the most important person in his life. Not just hurt—did he actually kill him?

Niall was beside Zayn with a horrified expression. They both began lifting him off the ground, Niall carefully and shakily inspecting his brother's bruised neck. Louis didn't even realize that he was trembling, all his emotions tumbling over the other, but of course rage still prevailed. Rage at himself for what he'd done.

He began twisting around violently, Liam barely pinning him down. He heard Liam scream for someone, and then something was pricking his skin. Zayn stepped back holding a now empty syringe, face white in shock.

Louis' eyes began to droop, darkness bordering his sight. There was a moment when he felt like he was watching everything unfold from a distance, wherein he had no control over his own actions. It was all his Alpha.

The last thing he'd seen before falling into a pit of dreamless darkness was Harry's limp body as they carried him out of the room.

That had been three years ago, but Louis still punished himself for that every single day. He'd never forgiven himself even if Harry had immediately forgiven him anyway. He thought he would never forgive himself for it. Hell, Harry even still had a scar from that eventful night along his arm, where a shard of glass had cut him when he fell to the floor. It reminded Louis of the monstrous and animalistic side he had inside him, a part of him vile enough to harm Harry, whom he'd unmistakably give his life to.

Louis was thankful that their generation had lost the ability to transform into their wolf forms, or in Louis' case, his Alpha. Never did he want anything to do with it ever again.

But now, Louis realized that Harry was about to go through the same thing. Louis would make sure that he'd be by his side the entire time to help him through it and make sure that he wouldn't hurt himself through the process.

In the darkness, he watched Harry's sleeping form thoughtfully, wondering how he could bring this up with the boy. Harry was probably traumatized at the idea of presenting, all thanks to Louis. 

His thoughts were interrupted when Harry suddenly sat up on his bed, eyes scanning the room before carefully standing up. Louis' face was hidden in the dark, so Harry didn't notice him when he tiptoed past them and out of the room, carrying a what looked like a journal.

Where on earth was he going?


	13. Chapter 13

Louis felt like a ninja as he followed Harry down the hall as stealthily as he could. Harry was great at sneaking around too, hiding just in time a person walks by and easily slipping through corridors.

He had no idea what Harry could be up to, but all he could think of was that Harry was probably days or even hours away from presenting fully, meaning he'll be hit with its full viciousness soon. Louis couldn't have Harry disappearing, especially now.

Louis shivered slightly as a cold gush of wind hit his exposed skin, silently cursing himself for not bringing a jacket or something. He was such in a hurry to catch up with Harry that he even ended up wearing mismatched shoes.

Harry suddenly stopped walking, glancing over his shoulder. Louis practically threw himself to the side and hid behind a thick pillar, wincing at the small noise his feet made against the floor. After a few moments when Louis deemed it safe, he took a peek from where he was hiding, eyes widening when Harry was already walking away and was about to disappear from his line of sight.

In his hurry, Louis suddenly jumped out of his hiding place and bumped into something—someone, rather—and stumbled backwards.

"Oh, Louis. What are you doing?"

Louis blanched when he realized who the voice belonged to. "Uh, Commander Roy. I was just, uh, going for a walk. Needed some air."

Roy didn't look convinced. "Is that so?"

"Yeah."

For a moment, the man just stared at him with bored eyes before sighing exasperatedly. "Very well. I'll be on my way back to my quarters, as should you."

"Yeah, sure." Louis said awkwardly, watching as the man walked past him and disappeared down the hall.

Louis was immediately skidding down the hall, looking around wildly for Harry. He groaned in frustration when he couldn't find him, but then a movement caught his eye at the end of the hall. He quietly crept towards it, sighing in relief when he found Harry standing in front of a pair of tall wooden doors, one that led to the archives, Louis realized.

Harry seemed to be fiddling with something on the door, but Louis couldn't quite see anything from where he was hiding other than Harry's hunched back.

Louis soon realised that he must've been unlocking the door when Harry finally opened the doors and stepped inside, securely shutting it closed behind him. Louis let a few moments pass before he quietly walked towards the door and cautiously pushed it open.

He easily slipped inside and closed the door without making much noise. It was dark inside other than the faint light casted by lamps hanging from the walls at intervals. Louis didn't really spend time in the archives in his years of staying at the Fort. He could only guess why Harry would sneak out in the middle of the night to pay a visit to the old library.

Louis crouched down behind a shelf, watching as Harry appeared and disappeared between rows of wooden shelves and tables. The boy was carrying a small lamp, scanning through books and scrolls. Eventually, he emerged from the shelves carrying several books, barley keeping his balance as he dumped them all onto a wooden table. He then placed the lamp on the table as well, then sat down and began to open the books one by one.

Louis didn't know what to think. Harry was…studying in the middle of the night? Did Roy give him some kind of homework to accomplish? Or was this some newly-found hobby of his?

A few moments passed, and Louis realized how stupid he was for sneaking around like this. He might as well just approach Harry and ask him what he was doing rather than to secretly watch him from behind a shelf like a proper creep.

Louis silently walked to where Harry's nose was buried into a thick book, clearing his throat to announce his presence. The younger boy practically screamed, jumping to his feet and facing Louis with wide, scared eyes.

"Wha—Louis? What are you doing here?" Harry said hysterically.

Louis scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, smiling sheepishly. "I saw you leave our quarters. I, uh, followed you and yeah. Just wanted to make sure you're safe and all, cause like, why are you even here at this time?"

Harry's look of surprise was immediately replaced by a look of utter irritation. "Do you really think I'm that helpless?"

Louis frowned. Where did that come from? "What?"

"Why do you treat me like a baby?! Do you really think you need to follow me around and look after me like this? It's fucking annoying, you know." Harry said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Louis gaped. "What? Of course not! I don't treat you like a baby. I'm just…protective over everyone."

Even as he said it, it didn't sound convincing to his own ears. Harry just glared at him.

"Oh? So you're like this with Liam and Zayn and Niall too?" Harry pointed out.

Louis fish mouthed, unable to say something that would be helpful. "Well—no."

Harry threw his hands up in the air exasperatedly before collapsing back onto his chair, burying his face in his hands. "Just go away, Louis."

Louis sighed, and instead of doing as the boy said so, he sat down next to him with his lips pressed together, unsure of what to say. He glanced at the books and scrolls laid out on the table, the topics ranging from histories of werewolves to medical, rare plants. His journal was open, sloppy and messy handwritings taking up most of its pages.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel that way." Louis said sincerely, giving Harry's shoulder a squeeze. "No, I don't think you're helpless. Quite the opposite, really. And I understand why you're pissed, I'm stupid for sneaking up on you like this. I'm sorry."

Harry peeked from behind his hands, eyes softening as he looked at the Alpha. Eventually, he sighed and ran his fingers through his sleep-dishevelled curls. He bit his lower lip, as though contemplating his next words.

"I was only mad because…well, you caught me. It's embarrassing." Harry mumbled, eyes glued to the ground.

"Reading and studying? What's embarrassing about that? If anything, Roy should be quite pleased at your effort. Whatever task he gave you, you're going to finish it." Louis said simply.

It was Harry's turn to scratch the back of his neck. "Uh, he didn't give me a task."

"Oh." Louis said. "Okay, then is this like your new hobby or something?"

Harry fidgetted with the hem of his shirt, eyes still avoiding to meet Louis' eyes. "I guess you could say that…"

"Well, do you want to tell me about it?" Louis said with a raised eyebrow. Harry was acting quite off, and Louis just wanted to know what was going on in that pretty little head of his.

Harry pressed his lips together, but then sighed. "Promise not to judge? Or make fun of me?"

Louis gave an affronted look. "Harry, I'd never do that."

"Okay," he said slowly as he reached for his journal, "Well…I'm kind of researching on some kind of medicine. Something that doesn't exist yet."

Harry had always been great at brewing medicine and various potions, so it wasn't that much of a surprise to Louis when he thinks about Harry wanting to discover or create one of his very own. It was more expected, really.

"That's great, Haz. What are you trying to make?"

"Um…a cure?" Harry said in a small voice.

"For?"

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but then clamped it shut. "You know what, never mind."

"That's not cool. You can't just bring something up and drop it!" Louis whined.

"It's just, it's ambitious and crazy and probably doesn't make sense." Harry rambled, shutting his journal closed and starting to clear the table.

Louis huffed indignantly before snatching the leather bound journal from Harry's hands, ignoring Harry's yelp of protest as he stood up and began looking through its contents.

Bites possibly trigger change…

Reverse the process…

Wolf to man.

Louis just stared at the words in front of him as Harry snatched the journal back, face red. The Alpha looked at Harry with furrowed eyebrows.

"You're trying to cure a turned wolf? Back to their human form?" Louis asked, a tone of disbelief evident in his voice.

Harry nodded stiffly, hugging the journal closer to his chest. 

"Do you…do you know anyone who's turned? The last time that was possible was decades ago, Haz, I—"

"Aaron McCarter's twin brother. Aren." Harry said with a small voice. 

Louis ran his fingers through his hair. "Aren? Aren's missing, he's been missing for weeks now. I'm sorry I just—what are you talking about?"

"I know what—or, who I saw at the markets, Louis. Aaron and the beast that attacked me had the exact same blue eyes. I know it." Harry said, adding, "Before you say anything else, answer me this first. Have the Troopers found a single person from your missing persons list?"

"Well, no. All we've found are scraps of their clothes or like, items of their possessions. We even think that maybe it's a lost cause, maybe they've been devoured by those beasts already. I don't see how this is relevant—"

"No bodies, even? Not a single one?" Harry pushed, eyes wide and insistent.

"No. Not one." Louis said, voice wavering. "What are you trying to say?"

Harry pursed his lips, shoulders tensed. "Have you ever thought that…maybe some of the beasts you've been hunting are your missing Troopers?"

Louis just stared at him, dumbfounded. "No, because that would be mad. That's—that's not possible."

But Louis could feel the gears in his head turning. It had been terribly hard to find the missing Troopers and people, and it probably didn't make sense that no bodies were found either. Harry was looking at him with such expecting eyes that Louis had to look away as he thought this through. Granted, it was a possibility—but a very small one. 

"I get what you're saying, but I can't just accept your assumption like that. It's a pretty big leap." Louis said, eyebrows furrowed.

"I have proof." Harry said with an air of confidence that wasn't there before. "I was at the Infirmary before, and one of the healers told me herself that they used the ink stem poison on the bitten people, because there's poison coursing through their veins anyway and it would kill them soon enough. I think—I don't think that's the reason, though. They kill the bitten people to stop them from turning into their wolf forms, because the venom actually triggers them to change and makes it possible again for them to turn to their wolf forms—"

"Stop," Louis said firmly, raising his hand. "Just, stop. Harry—this is insane. Absolutely mad, this is just you jumping to conclusions—"

"It's true! You'll see in a few days." Harry said indignantly.

At that, Louis cocked an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

Harry's eyes widened and a look of panic flashed across his features. "Uh…nothing…"

"Harold, what did you do?" Louis said, voice low.

The younger boy squirmed in his spot, eyes darting across the room. "I…I replaced the healers' ink stems. They think they're using poison, but—yeah, I replaced it with a harmless plant that looks kind of the same…found them along the forest a few days ago."

"You…you meddled with the healers' stuff at the Infirmary?" Louis said slowly.

"Hey, if you don't believe my assumptions anyway, you've got nothing to worry about. But if I am right, well, the infected people might just transform into beasts in a few days, since the healers don't know that they're not actually giving them poison to end their life." Harry defended weakly.

Before Louis could say anything, Harry spoke again, "That's why I'm trying to make a cure for them. If ever that does happen. I'll be able to turn them back to their human form."

For a moment, they just stared at each other. Louis didn't know what to say, didn't know what he believed and what he didn't at this point. Harry made a few good points, but he just didn't make sense.

"Harry," Louis began slowly as he took a step towards the boy, "let's just—we can bring this up with Commander Roy, if you really think this is possible. Or maybe, some of the scholars I know. You can't just jump into this and possibly put yourself in trouble."

Harry huffed indignantly, though he seemed to lack the fervor he had just a few moments ago. "No. They're going to tell me I'm crazy, and they're going to stop me. I'm not going to let them."

Louis grabbed Harry's journal and gave the boy a stern look. "I'm sorry. You're not pushing through with this, especially not on your own."

With that, Louis walked towards the door carrying Harry's research. He still wasn't sure who the right person to talk about this was, but he definitely couldn't let Harry continue with this. It was just—crazy. It was crazy.

"Louis no! Please!" Harry cried weakly, pulling at his arm as the Alpha continued to walk. "I'm not crazy! I'm trying to help these people!"

Louis ignored him, keeping a straight face as they made it out of the archives. Harry gripped his arm weakly, begging and pleading. It hurt Louis to do this, but he had to do it to protect Harry. 

"Louis!" Harry gripped his arm particularly hard that the Alpha pulled away on instinct, accidentally putting Harry off-balance.

The boy stumbled backwards and fell on this bottom, wincing. Louis was immediately knelt down at his side, apologizing profusely. "Shit. I'm sorry."

But then Louis touched Harry's arm and pulled his hand away with a yell of surprise. Harry's skin was burning. The boy sat on the floor with a distant look in his eyes, dazed and unfocused.

"Harry? Harry, do you hear me?" Louis said, panic creeping into his chest. He easily recognized the symptoms—Harry was going to present.

Suddenly, Louis was harshly slammed against the brick wall, eyes widening as he stared down at Harry whose eyes were blazing with rage.

"Fuck you, you know that? You said you believed in me, and now what are you doing? You're trying to stop me from possibly saving so many lives!" Harry hissed.

Louis could already tell that Harry's wolf was starting to take control of the boy. Harry's soft, sparkling eyes were now replaced by an uncharacteristically dull one, outlined by speckles of gold. His eyes were locked with Louis' but it was like he was looking straight through him.

"Haz, if you're still in there, you're gonna have to trust me. I'm gonna help you through this, you're going to present and—"

Harry punched him right in the face, a low growl emitting from his throat. Louis ignored the pain and grabbed Harry's shoulders, slamming him onto the ground and struggling to pin him there.

"Let me go!" Harry howled, scratching at Louis' arms and face with his blunt nails. "You fucking piece of shit!"

Louis was running out of options, his chest feeling tighter and tighter due to panic. Harry looked just about ready to murder him, and if Louis failed to keep him contained, there was no doubt that his wolf would.

"I hate you so much! I fucking hate you!" Harry was fuming, but there were tears pooling in his eyes.

Louis tried not to let his words affect him, because this wasn't Harry talking. It was his monstrous, illogical side. The animalistic side which only knew violence and pain and blood lust. Not his sweet Harry who would never hurt anyone or anything intentionally, innocent Harry who couldn't fathom the idea of killing beasts that he'd gone to such lengths to convince himself that there was a way to cure them just so that they didn't have to die.

"Kill me! Fucking claw my heart out! Finish what you started, Tomlinson. You should have made sure that you'd squeezed my neck hard and long enough three years ago, because now I'm going to fucking rip your throat off!" Harry screeched, flailing and writhing violently beneath him.

Louis squeezed his eyes shut at the boy's words. Although this was Harry's wolf talking, the thoughts were still somehow rooted from Harry's own memories. Louis felt bile rise up in his throat when memories flashed in his head of that dreadful night, the night he'd almost ended Harry's life. 

The night he'd almost killed the person he loved the most in this world.

The fact that Harry was now bringing that up to rile him up was just messed up. He didn't want to read too deep into the situation, but did Harry truly feel that way? Did he really wish Louis had ended him then? Every person's wolf might be a complete stranger most of the time, but this animalistic side always set free the darkest and deepest thoughts and secrets that their human form would never allow to be seen by the world.

Louis felt something cut his forearm, causing him to yell in pain and loosen his hold on the boy. Harry took the opportunity to switch their positions so that he was on top of the Alpha, raising his hand which was clutching something long—a pen, Louis realized.

"I'm gonna fucking blind you," Harry sneered, bringing the pen down towards his face as Louis screwed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth.

And then there was silence. Louis cautiously opened an eye to see Harry's red face, seemingly in pain, as he struggled to unclasp his hand around the pen.

He was fighting against his wolf.

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, there was the sound of a dull thud, and the only thing Louis could hear was his own panting breaths. With wide eyes he realized that Harry was no longer on top of him.

Instead, the younger boy was now sprawled out on the ground with a syringe sticking out from the back of his neck, with a very familiar figure towering over him.

"Help me get him to the cells," Commander Roy said, crouching down to grab Harry's legs.

Louis was too stunned to say anything, and instead nodded dazedly, crawling over to the boy. Harry's face was pale, face contorted in pain. Whatever drug was used to sedate him wouldn't last long on a person who was about to present.

Taking a deep breath, he scooped Harry up from the ground and followed Roy as he led the way, chest pounding in fear for the boy in his arms, especially when he thought back to their fight.

Harry's eyes weren't outlined by a dark, bloody red color like every Alpha when they're about to present. Instead, his irises had been crowned by a powerful and bright gold—the color of omegas.


	14. Chapter 14

With fluttering eyelashes, Harry looked around the room he'd found himself in. He was in a small square room with brick walls and a single small window looking out into the woods. Other than the bed he was on and a matching wooden table and chair, the room was vacant. A tall, metal door could be seen opposite from his side of the room.

He could feel sweat trickling down his forehead and neck, every part of him tingling and burning. His throat felt dry and him limbs were achy and heavy. It hurt to think, hurt to move, hurt to do anything at all that he just wanted to cry in desperation.

Weakly, Harry raised his hand to wipe away his sweat, but then there was the sound of metal clanking against metal. He tried again and soon realized that his hands were both cuffed to the side of the bed. Panic immediately kicked in, causing him to writhe and flail on the bed, pulling as hard as he could with the hopes of freeing himself. His heart was pounding, heart racing, and a new set of tears were now trickling down his reddish cheeks.

"Let me go!" Harry cried hysterically, the room spinning around him as he moved his entire body and shook the bed. "Please!"

He couldn't remember how he'd gotten here, much less why he was cuffed up in what looked like a cell room. All he knew was that he was feeling the worst he'd ever felt in his entire life. He felt like he was being cooked from the inside out, body frail but filled with so much energy at the same time. He couldn't even recall where he'd last been, either.

"Hey, calm down Haz. I'm here."

The familiar voice echoed through the room, causing him to immediately calm down. He frantically looked around the room, tears starting to well up again when he couldn't find the source of the voice.

"Louis! Where are y-you?" Harry cried, feeling absolutely petrified.

"I'm here, I'm watching you. I'm sorry I can't go inside..." His voice sounded like it was coming out of a speaker.

"Why? You have to uncuff me, what is this?" Harry said, lower lip wobbling.

"Haz, listen to me. You're undergoing a certain change. You're presenting. Just remember all we've been taught about presenting, and you'll be fine. You have to be calm and-"

"Why can't you be here? Come inside!" Harry cut him off, pulling harshly at his cuffed hands. "I want to see you! I'm scared-please,"

There was a pause, and then, "It's not advisable for an Alpha to be in the same room as one that's presenting. Our wolves wouldn't...appreciate it. Especially yours." 

"Please!" Harry wasn't seeing reason anymore, sobbing as the cuffs cut deeper into his skin after every harsh pull, "Louis!"

Outside his cell in a separate room, Louis was holding back tears. He was watching Harry on the monitor, chest tightening as he listened to his pleas and watched him suffer. He had to remind himself that he had to be stronger than this because Harry needed him. He couldn't afford being weak even for a moment.

"What do we do? He's panicking." Zayn said worriedly beside him, eyes trained on the same screen. 

"He needs a bogus," Liam said, "it's what every Alpha uses. His wolf won't realize the difference between a dummy and a real opponent."

"Yeah, we're working on that. Niall's going to bring one in." Louis said, eyes still glued to Harry's figure.

Harry continued screaming and moving around, shaking the entire bed. He was still begging and pleading for someone to be let in. Louis' heart felt heavier and heavier after each sob and whimper coming from the boy.

"He'll manage," Liam said comfortingly, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "We all went through the same thing. Once he gets to release his anger on that dummy, he'll be fine."

Louis bit back his tongue from saying that maybe, just maybe, they didn't go through the same thing. Because they'd presented as Alphas, while Harry...

"Here it is," a voice came from the doorway. "I've got the dummy."

They turned to find Niall standing there, holding what looked like a poor stuff toy imitation of a beast. Louis ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"Isn't there anything else? Harry doesn't even want to hurt beasts." Louis said.

"His wolf wouldn't care, really." Niall pointed out.

Louis wasn't convinced. As soon as he'd realized that there was a possibility-a huge possibility-that Harry would present as an Omega instead of an Alpha, he'd looked up ways to help a presenting Omega. None of them had any knowledge about this since they were all taught only the Alpha ways, and no one (aside from Louis at times) expected Harry to present as anything but Alpha.

And from what Louis had learned from a quick trip to the archives earlier, Omegas and Alphas might have the same initial symptoms: body pain, fatigue, moodiness, and violence, but they differ from how they deal with these. While Alphas give in to their wolf's desires and merely release all their strength through anger and violence, Omegas aren't the same.

Omegas, just like Harry, are against violence. They would fight against their wolves at all costs to stop themselves from hurting anyone else. Just like what Harry had done earlier in the hallway when he'd manage to stop his wolf from stabbing Louis' eyes with a pen.

So, no, Louis definitely didn't think this dummy plan would work. Not on an Omega. 

"Bring it in, Niall. Remove the cuffs as well, it's hurting him." Liam said.

Niall nodded, but then Zayn caught his arm. "As soon as you uncuff him, run out of the room. He'll pounce at you immediately."

With a nod, the Alpha dragged the dummy along the floor and unlocked the metal door. Niall kept his eyes on the ground as he stepped inside.

"Niall! Niall please help me, please!" Harry whimpered, pulling against his handcuffs to get closer to Niall.

"Shh, you're going to be fine. You're a tough one." Niall said softly as he placed the dummy by Harry's bed, reaching into his pockets to retrieve the keys.

He swiftly unlocked Harry's cuffs, wincing when he saw the red, angry cuts it had created around his wrists. 

"Sorry about that," Niall said.

Suddenly, Harry was wrapping his arms around Niall, sobbing into his chest. "P-please don't leave me. I feel like shit and-can we go home now? Please?"

Niall was stunned, to say the least. Why wasn't Harry beating him down, threatening to tear him into pieces?

"I-sorry, Haz. Can't. You'll be fine." Niall stammered, untangling himself from Harry's arms.

Before Harry could say anything else, Niall had disappeared from before him, the metal door swinging closed with a loud clicking sound. At that, Harry broke down into tears, his entire body trembling as the feeling of betrayal washed over him.

"What the fuck just happened," Zayn said in astonishment as Niall returned into the room. "He should've attacked you."

"He didn't." Niall said, eyebrows furrowed.

"Well...he's relatively calm, actually. Other than the breakdowns, it's almost like he isn't even presenting. That doesn't make sense. Once it begins, there's no downtime. His wolf would have taken over by now. And look! He's not even touching the dummy." Liam said, face twisted in confusion.

Louis pressed his lips together, watching as Harry just curled in on himself on the bed as he cried. Even through the screen, Louis could see Harry's fists balled so tightly he's probably drawing blood from his own hands. His body was trembling, possibly not from crying, but from the tremendous effort of keeping his wolf under control, of fighting back.

"Shit," Louis said, rubbing a hand over his face.

If there was any doubt that he'd merely imagined Harry's gold-outlined irises earlier, there was absolutely no doubt now.

There was a scent wafting into the room. A scent that definitely didn't belong to an Alpha.

"What...what's that smell?" Zayn said with a frown, sniffing at the air. "Is it just me or...?"

Louis could smell it too. It smelled like home, to say the least. An open field of flowers, the sweetness of honey and chocolate, the comforting warmth of a hot mug of tea. It was most beautiful and softest scent Louis had ever smelled-a scent that screamed treasure, love, beauty.

A scent that belonged to Harry.

"That's an Omega's scent," Liam mused, eyes droopy. "What-how? There are no Omegas-"

"There is." Louis interrupted.

All heads turned to look at him, looks of confusion evident on their faces.

"A newly presented one." Louis said softly, eyes on Harry.

Realization dawned on the three Alphas' faces. No one spoke for a few good minutes.

"Well, shit." Niall breathed. "Holy fuck."

"Harry? Our Harry?" Liam said incredulously. "But-but that's Harry!"

Zayn looked thoughtful, though there was a small smile on his face. "It actually makes sense. It's been there all along, of course Harry's an Omega. How did we not notice?"

"I noticed," Louis said quietly, "I just didn't know if I really wanted him to be one or not."

Zayn frowned. "What are you talking about? I swear if you start talking about all that bullshit about hierarchy and how Omegas are at the bottom I'm going to beat the shit out of you."

Louis shook his head. "That's not what I meant. I mean, anyone else would be celebrating because Omegas are rare and this is a gift, but...there's Benedict. What would he think? What would he do?"

Benedict had a reputation for being one of the best warriors to ever exist. The reason he'd adopted them was for him to personally train them and raise them to be just like him: a strong, intelligent, powerful Alpha. That was his goal. Harry had been brought into the Winter mansion much later than the four of them. Louis and the others were already eleven years old when Benedict had brought home a bright eyed, vulnerable, eight-year-old Harry.

Standing next to Zayn, Liam, Niall, and himself, Harry obviously didn't fit in. Louis used to wonder when he was younger why Benedict would want to train someone like Harry when he certainly lacked a few aspects that qualified as the great Benedict Winter's Alpha heirs. He'd thought that Harry had yet to bloom, and that maybe he'd be the strongest and best among the five of them in the end.

Clearly, Benedict must have had a reason for adopting Harry. And Louis found it completely odd and uncharacteristic if Benedict had mistaken Harry as an Alpha all these years. It didn't make sense if he did know that Harry would present as an Omega eventually, either. So right now, Louis didn't know what to think.

"That's not our problem right now," Liam said, pointing at the screen, "look."

Harry was struggling, holding himself back from attacking the beast dummy that sat by his bed. Instead, Harry was scratching harshly at his forearms, beating his own chest, and occasionally crashing his own body at the bricked wall.

"He's hurting himself!" Niall cried in distress, pacing back and forth. "What do we do? He's gonna-"

"I'm going inside." Louis announced, marching towards the door.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Zayn blocked his path. "You're going to end up hurting each other."

"I'd rather have him hurt me than himself." Louis said firmly, giving Zayn a vigorous look.

Liam appeared beside them, squeezing Zayn's shoulder as he told him, "He knows what he's doing."

Zayn stared at Louis for a moment longer, but then reluctantly stepped out of the way. Louis gave him a tight smile before pushing the metal door open and slipping inside.

Louis felt light-headed as soon as he stepped in. Harry's scent was absolutely overwhelming and hypnotizing, it was difficult for Louis to think of anything else but his wonderful scent. He pushed himself to continue walking and shook his head as though to clear it, gaze landing on Harry's small figure in the corner of the room. The boy was repeatedly slamming his head against the wall, small whimpers tumbling out of his red, bitten lips.

"Harry, hey. It's alright. You can stop." Louis said softly, placing a hand on his burning skin.

Harry startled, eyes wide in horror as he looked at the Alpha. Up close, Louis could see the even more prominent gold that outlined his irises. It was truly hypnotic.

"It's bad." Harry muttered shakily.

"What is?" Louis said, carefully pulling the boy towards him.

"My beast. The wolf side of me. It wants to hurt and kill and-I just can't let it, Lou. I won't let it." Harry whispered as though he was sharing a deep secret, eyes terrified and uncertain.

Louis hugged the boy's trembling frame to his chest, slowly rocking them back and forth. "But it's wrong to hurt yourself too, love."

Harry shook his head, sobbing weakly, "But it's the only way! If I don't, I feel like I'm going to explode and I just can't d-do it!"

Louis tightened his hold around the boy, fighting to keep his focus in spite of Harry's scent which was slowly lulling him to sleep. "You can do it, Harry. You can get through this. You're strong. The strongest person I know."

Shakily, the younger boy looked up at him, dark eyes scanning his face. Then, Harry gasped and reached out to touch his left cheek.

"Did I...did I do that?" He asked in a small, frail voice.

Louis shook his head. "No, it wasn't you. That was your wolf. You didn't know-"

"I'm a monster!" Harry cried, hastily scrambling away from him. "I'm so sorry!"

And then he began punching his thighs, his chest, slapping himself-Louis couldn't take it. He grabbed Harry by the wrists and guided the boy's hands towards him instead, face void of any emotion but sadness as Harry unknowingly hit him all over his face and torso. The pain was nothing to Louis, nothing he couldn't handle. It was the sight of Harry hurting himself that would be enough to destroy him. The sight of Harry suffering and hurting.

Harry was still sobbing out apologies, eyes red and puffy from all the crying he'd been doing all day. Louis' eyes blurred with tears as he saw long red scars along Harry's forearms and neck, ones that he'd inflicted upon himself, all so he wouldn't end up hurting anyone else.

"P-please make it s-stop! I want it t-to stop!" Harry sobbed weakly, though his hits and punches didn't slow down or tire at all. His hits still came with such force and intensity it would surely leave bruises all over Louis' body, but he couldn't care less.

Suddenly, Harry was growling, his wolf obviously fighting for dominance. His eyes were screwed shut, as though Harry was trying really hard to take control of his own body.

"It's okay, Harry. Let it take control. It'll be easier." Louis said, swallowing a lump in his throat.

"I a-almost hurt you, like really hurt you when we were in the library. I can't let that happen again." Harry croaked, arms wrapping around his own body as he trembled.

"But you're hurting yourself-"

"Sedate me! Please, send me to s-sleep! Just stop it!" Harry cried, a growl escaping his mouth.

"Sedatives don't last long, Harry." Louis tried reasoning out, a single tear escaping his eye as he tried to soothe the boy.

"Then keep me under! Sedate me again and again!" Harry said almost hysterically, panic rising in his chest. "Please!"

"No, I won't risk you getting overdosed," Louis said firmly, making no room for protest.

Harry let out a strangled cry as he fell onto his side, struggling as something inside him fought to break free. He could feel blood in his mouth, he could feel newly-grown canines protuding from his sore gums. No, he couldn't risk Louis' safety. He could feel his wolf's emotion-it was dying to get a taste of blood and violence, but Harry wasn't going to let it win. Not when Louis' safety was on the line.

Louis looked desperately at the camera on the wall, unsure of what to do now. He hoped the other Alphas had a certain idea in mind. Harry's scent was making him dizzy, loosening his muscles and easing his nerves. It was getting harder and harder to focus on anything at all. His eyes were drooping as well, and everytime he closed his eyes, all he saw was milky white skin, soft chocolate ringlets of hair, a dazzling dimpled smile, and bright, sparkling green eyes.

The sound of a loud crash brought Louis back to earth, his head snapping to the side as he looked for Harry. The Omega had somehow managed to destroy the wooden chair, grabbing a piece of broken wood with a pointed end and-

"Louis! P-please, or I'll-" Harry wheezed, holding the sharp end of the wood against his chest, pointing right where his heart would be. "Please!"

Louis was immediately by his side, limbs trembling at the sight. "Okay! Okay Harry, j-just put that down,"

Harry didn't and shook his head. "Send me to sleep!"

"Niall! Zayn! Inside!" Louis shouted in panic, heart pounding loudly in his ears as he stared at the ragged piece of wood.

The three other Alphas burst into the room, Liam carrying a syringe. Immediately, he buried it into Harry's skin, and Louis took that opportunity to grab the piece of wood from the boy and toss it to the side.

They all knelt around Harry as he collapsed to the ground, his eyes becoming glazed and movements becoming slower. "Don't wake me up until it's over. Promise me."

His voice was barely a whisper now, and his eyes were nearly colorless. Before his eyes could completely shut closed, Louis found himself nodding, fighting back his tears.

"Just rest." Niall managed, reaching out to ruffle Harry's curls. 

"You'll be fine," Louis breathed, watching as Harry's eyes fell shut, face and body relaxing at last.


	15. Chapter 15

Almost an entire day had passed since Harry was last conscious. Louis had decided to stay by Harry's side the entire time, fingers intertwined with his as he watched the steady rise and fall of the boy's chest. It was such a risky thing to do, to keep him sedated this long, especially since medicine tended to have different and unexpected effects on those who are presenting.

Liam, Niall, and Zayn had left earlier, deciding that it would be best if they continued with their work to avoid much suspicion about why all the Winters have suddenly disappeared. They had also all agreed to keep the fact that Harry was an Omega between them for now, though Louis knew for a fact that their secret wouldn't last that long.

As soon as Harry left this cell, hundreds of Alphas would be able to sniff his scent from a good distance. The thought made something like jealously rumble in the pit of his stomach, which he just ignored, as always.

Louis reached out and pushed Harry' curls out of his face, caressing his pale, smooth cheek. Louis always wondered how Harry was real—the boy was too beautiful, inside and out. It hurt him to think that Harry had to go through so much, especially now that they had a new challenge to face.

By now, Louis had gotten used to Harry's powerful scent—a scent that could make any Alpha go mad. Since he'd been here all day, he'd gotten used to it, although there were still times when he'd get slightly dizzy and dazed.

In the several hours of silence he'd spent by Harry's sleeping figure, he'd racked his brain for answers and solutions. He figured that they'd eventually have to tell Benedict anyway, and that they could never truly guess what his reaction and decision regarding the situation would be. There was also the issue of the Fort—they would definitely kick Harry out. 

The thought broke Louis' heart, because he knew how Harry wanted to stay here. Hell, he'd even started creating his own "cure" in the short amount of time he'd been here. Plus, where would he go if he was asked to leave? Back to the mansion? Live on his own, perhaps? It was a dangerous world out there, especially for Omegas. Louis felt a little better knowing that he'd be by Harry's side all along.

Even if he hadn't made that deal with Benedict weeks ago, he'd still gladly leave the Fort with Harry if they stupidly decided to kick him out. It would be difficult to adjust in his lifestyle and turn his back on all he's ever known as a soldier, but it would be worth it, as long as he got to be with Harry and ensure that he was safe and protected all the time.

Not that Harry couldn't protect himself, of course. The boy was obviously skilled and knowledgeable about a lot of things having been brought up at the Winter's mansion, but he also happened to have a soft, compassionate heart, sometimes being too kind for his own good that twisted people would no doubt take advantage of.

With a sigh, Louis played with the younger boy's long, slim fingers, thoughts constantly running around his head. When he had presented, it had taken him nearly an entire day. It varied from person to person, though, but Louis wasn't so sure how it usually went for Omegas.

He didn't have to wonder any longer when Harry began stirring, eyelashes fluttering as he opened his eyes. Louis immediately held his hand, letting him know that he wasn't alone.

When Harry turned to look at him, his eyes were its usual green color, small hints of gold still lurking, though it was barely noticeable now. Louis smiled up at him warmly, giving his hand a comforting squeeze.

"How are you feeling?" Louis asked, trying to hide the anxiousness in his voice.

Harry's eyes wandered across the room for a moment, eventually landing on Louis'. With a scratchy and weak voice, he said, "I feel like I died. Then I was resurrected."

Louis let out a breath of relief when Harry cracked a small smile. He couldn't help himself as he wrapped his arms around the boy, careful not to hurt him.

"I'm just—fuck, I was so scared. We all were." Louis breathed, loving the warmth coming from Harry's body.

"What happened anyway?" Harry said into his neck, his breath fanning across his skin.

Louis pulled away from the hug, a reluctant look lingering on his face. "You presented, Harry. It's over now, though."

Harry nodded, biting his lower lip. Louis could sense that he wanted to say something, so he asked, "What is it, Haz?"

Harry began to sit up, and Louis immediately guided him along so that he was propped up against the headboard with a pillow supporting his head. Harry played with his fingers, eyes trained on his lap.

"Are you, like, disappointed?" Harry asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"You could never disappoint me, Harry." Louis said sincerely, holding the boy's hands in his once again.

"I'm an Omega, Louis. Surely that came as an awful suprise." Harry muttered, eyes still avoiding his. 

The insecurity in his voice was painful to hear, as though he'd long accepted that he was a failure and deserved to be looked down upon. That couldn't be farther from the truth.

Louis hooked a finger under Harry's chin, gently tilting the boy's face upwards so that they were now looking at each other. "No, Harry. We're proud of you. There's nothing wrong about being an Omega. You're still Harry Styles, they boy we all love and adore. Nothing will change that."

Harry's eyes glistened with unshed tears, his lower lip wobbling as he stared deep into Louis' eyes as though he was searching for something there, some sign that maybe Louis was lying and just saying these things to make him feel better about himself. But he didn't find any, instead all he did see was warmth, admiration, and love.

"Thank you," Harry whispered, smiling wetly through his tears. 

"No need to thank me, Haz." Louis said, pulling him in for another passionate hug.

He let the younger boy cry into his shoulder, knowing that he was still probably overwhelmed and in shock, perhaps even nervous and confused about what's to come now. Louis told him that he wasn't alone through his strong, comforting arms, his quiet whispers, and the feather-light kisses he left on the boy's skin as he trembled.

"We're fine. We're fine, love." Louis said softly, again and again, like some sort of mantra.

When Harry's tears had stopped flowing, he nuzzled his head against Louis' chest, eyes closed in contentment as Louis rubbed his back comfortingly.

"What now?" Harry asked in a small voice.

"We face whatever we have to face." Louis said with much more confidence than he felt. "Together."

*

The side effects of the drugs used on Harry hadn't worn off yet, and it was starting to take a toll on him.

Louis, along with the three other Alphas had managed to sneak him up into their quarters at midnight. They had Harry apply some kind of perfume that would mask his Omega scent for a short period of time as they made their trip. All throughout, Harry was a terrible mess, his limbs failing to cooperate and his head spinning painfully. Louis ended up carrying him on his back to save Harry from the pain and trouble.

Right now, Harry was sitting on his bed with an overflowing tray of food, while the four Alphas decided to stay up and talk with him despite being obviously tired from their shifts. Harry appreciated that more than he could ever express, so he settled on pleasing them in anyway that he could—which meant letting them pamper and take care of him.

Niall was telling Harry a story about how he'd saved one of the Troopers earlier today, making a very vivid and animated description of how the entire thing went down. Harry listened intently, his face hurting from how much he'd been smiling and laughing. Although his chest hurt a bit and he felt like closing his eyes to lessen the dizziness he was feeling, he refrained from doing so just to spend time with the others. 

"Oi, you've been talking for the last two hours. It's my turn now." Zayn said, shoving Niall off the bed and taking his spot next to Harry.

The two continued to bicker and fight, while Harry just sat there and nibbled on a biscuit, laughing when Zayn playfully smacked Niall on the back of his head. Louis and Liam just watched from one of the bunks, smiles evident on their faces.

"I'm going to try and talk to Commander Roy." Liam said out of the blue, eyes still trained on them.

Louis expected that, really. Leave it to Liam to be the diplomatic, well-spoken one in the group. It made sense that he did the talking, of course, since Roy did seem to favor him more than anyone else among them. Liam was practically the soldier every commander hoped for, and every soldier strived to become.

"Do you really think he'll be okay with it?" Louis asked.

Liam shrugged. "It's worth a try. Who cares about their stupid tradition about an all-Alpha army anyway? Fuck that, I say."

Louis barked out a laugh of surprise, because he did not expect the last part to come out of Liam's mouth. "Ayt, take it easy."

"Louis?" Harry called out softly.

Louis was on his feet on an instant, smiling as he said, "Yes, Harry?"

"Do you know where the first aid kit is?"

"Yup, hold on." He began rummaging through his chest, finding the box beneath a pile of clothes. He handed it over to Harry with a curious look.

Harry quietly thanked him before turning back towards Zayn and Niall who were still messing around and arguing in a playful manner, though Louis could tell that they just wanted to make Harry laugh. Harry did look happier, his eyes bright and full of amusement as he watched the two.

"Zayn, give me your left hand." Harry said, poking his arm.

Zayn absently did as told, too busy trying to slap Niall to pay much attention. Louis watched with a fond look as the Omega pulled out a piece of cotton from the first aid box, applying some white liquid on it first before carefully dragging it across the long, angry scratch along Zayn's forearm.

Zayn immediately stopped talking and turned to look at Harry with a surprised look at first, and then when he realized he was cleaning his wound, his lips broke into a fond smile, much like Louis'.

"Thanks, angel." Zayn said, eyes filled with adoration.

Harry just smiled noncommittally, the tip of his tongue poking out from between his pink lips as he finally wrapped the wound around with a bandage. When he was finally done, he put everything back in the first aid kit and looked up, only to find the four Alphas watching him with smiles on their faces.

"What?" He asked bashfully, surprised at the unexpected attention.

"You're just too adorable and kind, that's what." Niall said, reaching over to ruffle his hair.

Harry giggled adorably as he swatted his hand away. "I always tend to your wounds. Nothing new."

Which was true. But considering the circumstances, and how poorly Harry was still feeling, Louis thought it was such a selfless and heartwarming gesture. But when was Harry ever not selfless, anyway?

"Yeah, that's why we need to keep you around. Pretty sure we'd all die if you leave us." Liam said jokingly.

Harry's smile faltered, a hesitant look washing over his features. After a beat of silence, he said, "Um, you don't have to do this for me. It's probably not worth it anyway—"

"Hey," Louis interrupted, holding his hand. "it is worth it. You deserve to be here, Harry, and we're going to fight for that. We'd all be lost without you, honestly. We'd be incomplete and broken."

Harry pursed his lips. "But if it might risk your own jobs, then it's not worth it. I can just go back to the mansion anyway. It's not that bad."

The mere thought of Harry being alone with Benedict and his twisted ways, especially now that Harry had presented as an Omega, made Louis' blood boil.

"No, that won't be needed. You'll be staying here with us, and we'll fight for that." Louis said gently.

Harry looked at each one of them, feeling his heart swell in his chest due to their support and love. With all the sincerity he could muster, he thanked them with teary eyes.

They ended up huddled in a group hug, Harry being squished in the middle, their smiles blinding and priceless. Harry wanted to stay there forever, wrapped up in their arms, his ear pressed to Louis' chest as he listened to his steady, familiar heartbeat—one he hoped against all odds would never stop beating alongside his, because honestly, who was he without Louis Tomlinson?


	16. Chapter 16

Commander Roy's office seemed a lot colder and more intimidating than it seemed the last time they'd been here. 

"We're going to be fine," Louis said, giving Harry's thigh a gentle squeeze.

They were currently sitting on a plush velvet sofa, staring at the various pictures, certificates, and weapons that hung along the black-painted wall as they waited anxiously for Roy to arrive. Niall was nervously pacing back and forth, running his fingers through his hair. Liam was standing as well, a thoughtful look on his face, while Zayn looked as calm as ever sitting next to them.

Louis scrunched his nose when he realized that Harry's cover-up perfume was wearing off. The room now began to smell of flowers and a fresh breeze, with a hint of sweetness. 

Harry had an unreadable expression on his face, eyes distant. Louis could tell that he was nervous as well, though he was good at making himself seem unfazed.

The sound of the door opening echoed through the room, causing them all to turn and watch as the tall, muscular man dressed in his usual commander unifrom strode towards his table. He placed a briefcase he was carrying on the table before shrugging his jacket off and taking a seat, followed by a sigh of relief.

"Good morning, Commanded Roy," Liam greeted formally, as Harry, Louis, and Zayn stood up.

"Ah, what do we have here," Roy acknowledged them for the first time, a small smile playing across his lips. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Winter boys?"

Liam cleared his throat before speaking, "Well, Harry had finally presented and—"

"Why of course! The whole Fort is aware of Harry Styles. He's pretty popular now, don't you think?" Roy interrupted, placing a cigarette stick between his teeth and lighting it up.

Louis frowned at that. "We don't know what you mean."

Roy huffed out a laugh, standing up from his seat and walking towards them with a condescending smile. "A newly-presented Omega in the Fort is definitely gossip worthy, is it not?"

Harry's eyes widened at the idea that all these Alphas were aware of his presence. Louis must've sensed his discomfort because he immediately wrapped an arm around his waist, squeezing his hip almost possessively.

"That's what we've come here for to discuss," Liam said, but was once again cut off.

"Yes, I see. Because as a matter of fact, little Harry here is already causing a few problems here and there. My troopers have been smelling your scent, and to say the least, it's a great distraction. Don't get me wrong, I am honored to have an Omega in front of me right now for the rarity of your kind, but your presence here is just…unnecessary." Roy said, eyeing Harry from head to toe.

"And what do you propose as a solution, Sir?" Niall said through gritted teeth.

"A simple one. To send the Omega on his merry way, away from the Fort since he does not belong here."

"We have a right to protest," Louis chimed in, trying to keep his voice low, "and we are. We believe Harry deserves to be here as much as any Alpha—"

Roy's loud bark of laughter took over the room. "I'm sorry, but the rules are very clear. You are only allowed to be an inhabitant of the Fort and a possible Trooper if, and only if you are an Alpha. Surely, you Winter boys must know this well. Mister Benedict says he's had you memorize numerous books tackling this very topic, so I don't see why you have trouble interpreting this."

The four Alphas looked just about ready to pounce at the man, but Harry gave them pointed looks, silently telling them to keep their cool. 

"It's a century-old tradition, I think it's about time—" Zayn tries to argue.

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong. It doesn't matter what you think. We have these rules for a reason, and if they're so easy to break and bend, then why were they made in the first place? It destroys the essence, boy. So, be a dutiful soldier and do as you are told, listen to what you have been told, and that's it." Roy's face lost the little humour it had earlier, stance now dominant and intimidating. "Are we clear?"

Louis clenched his jaw and was about to say something he knew he would regret, but Harry's soft voice stopped him. "Lou, it's okay."

Louis regained control over his body and settled for a piercing, sharp glare directed at the Commander. The three other young Alphas looked like they were struggling not to do anything spontaneous and irrational at the moment.

"See, the Omega says it's fine. Send him off and let him find a mate and carry a pup—that's what he's supposed to do." Roy said mockingly, and if it weren't for Harry's tight clutch on his arm, he would've punched him square in the face with no hesitation.

Commander Roy's gaze flitted between the five of them for a moment, but eventually settled on Harry. The tall man towered over the Omega, leaning in slightly. Louis pulled him closer into his side, as though Roy would take a hint and back off.

"You have a few days to prepare and leave. If you're here longer than necessary, well, I'd have to make use of you in some other ways. Other ways that a thick crowd of Alphas would very much enjoy, little one." Roy whispered into his ear, his disgusting breath fanning across the boy's neck, causing him to shiver in disgust.

Louis didn't think twice before grabbing the commander's arm and practically ripping him off of Harry and pushing him away, immediately stepping in front of the Omega protectively.

"We're leaving." Louis managed, eyes blazing with anger.

"As you should." Roy said simply, giving Harry one last glance before turning back to his table.

The five boys stormed out of the room, the air tense and thick around them. Harry was finally able to breathe properly, though his chest still burned and his eyes were blurry—whether from dizziness or unshed tears, he wasn't sure.

"Can we—can we go outside?" Harry rasped, feeling his heartbeat race.

Louis gave him a worried glance before nodding. He wrapped an arm over Harry's shoulders, as though he could shield him from the cruel world.

"You guys know where to find us," Liam said, particularly to Harry, pressing his lips to the Omega's forehead before walking off with Niall and Zayn.

Harry and Louis walked out of the building and across the field with no interruptions, luckily. Louis was certain he'd end up banging someone's head into the wall if they so little as looked towards Harry's direction. The wolf inside him was howling, sympathizing with his boiling rage, but he kept it at bay.

They ended up at the edge of the forest where a small creek cut through the forest ground. The only sound that could be heard was the rushing water, the ruffling leaves from the trees overhead, and the soft crunches caused by their shoes against the ground. Louis guided a disoriented Harry to sit down on a log facing the water, worriedly kneeling down in front of him and taking his small face into his hands.

"Harry? Haz? What are you feeling?" Louis asked calmly.

"It hurts. All over." He rasped, eyes drooping and body weak.

Louis cursed, pulling Harry to his side and letting the boy rest his head on Louis' shoulder. Harry seemed to have some difficultly breathing, so Louis refrained from making him speak and tried to calm him down by rubbing his back and massaging his scalp, humming absently as he did so.

The side effects of the sedatives used on Harry were finally showing. Louis wished he could've come up with another way to get Harry through his sufferings when he presented, other ways that didn't have such an impact on his health. Alas, it wasn't an easy task, and he was in panic. Harry had threatened to seriously hurt himself, so Louis just had to give in. He couldn't think of any other way to save Harry from himself other than making him unconscious until it was over.

"Drink some water, love." Louis said, uncapping the water bottle he'd been carrying and pressing it gently against Harry's slightly parted lips.

Harry opened his mouth and swallowed weakly, pushing the bottle away after a few moments. The Alpha and the Omega found themselves looking into each other's eyes, eyes which were filled with so many thoughts, eyes which gave away their feelings.

"I'm so sorry." Harry croaked.

"Hey, I told you not to apologize. You did nothing wrong."

"I've dragged you into all this." Harry whispered. "You wouldn't be having all these problems if it weren't for me."

Louis tilted Harry's face so that he kept his gaze locked with the Alpha's. "You'd do the same thing for me, wouldn't you?"

Harry nodded without missing a beat.

"That's how we feel. We don't see you as a problem, Harry. You're not taking up our time or draining our energy. We love you and we'll do whatever it takes to make sure you're best. To make sure you're happy and that you get what you truly deserve."

Louis might've been imagining it, but he thought he saw Harry's eyes flicker to his lips. But then the boy was staring deep into his eyes again, face void of any emotion aside from tiredness as he asked when genuine curiosity, "What do I deserve?"

Louis' fingers grazed the younger boy's cheek, eyes glossy and filled with so much warmth as he answered, "The world, love. The world and so much more."

This time, Louis was certain that Harry was staring at his lips, tongue poking out to wet his own. Louis could feel his heart pounding in his chest, his thoughts and emotions all jumbled together, his limbs all turned to mush. Harry leaned closer, twisting his body so that he was practically sitting on his lap, trembling hands resting on Louis' shoulders.

"Harry," Louis breathed weakly, eyes locked on Harry's beautiful green ones—eyes he'd come to know even better than his own.

And in that moment, Louis could feel the tension stirring between them, he could feel Harry coming closer and closer and Louis just kept on getting lost in his scent. In that moment, Harry was basically urging Louis to kiss him.

Of course Louis wanted to kiss him. He'd dreamt of it, imagined it, hoped for it. From the very first time he'd seen Harry when they were younger, he didn't really see him the same way he saw Niall, Zayn, and Liam. Perhaps, a part of him had always known that Harry had a special place in his heart, a spot he'd gradually carved with such tenderness and care. Louis realized that after all this time, maybe Harry thought the same way about him too.

Their faces were mere inches away now, lips ghosting over one another, breath warm and welcome against their skin. Louis held Harry's face between his hands, completely leaning in forward as he gently tipped Harry's head downward.

Louis pressed his lips to Harry's forehead, a gesture so similar to what Liam had done earlier yet so starkingly different. Louis shut his eyes as he took Harry in, not just his Omega scent but everything else that made Harry himself—his strawberry shampoo, his powdery soft skin, his small but strong body. He kept his lips on Harry's skin, so close yet so far, feeling his lips go numb with coldness as he pulled away.

Harry wouldn't look him in the eye, though he looked even more devastated than earlier. Guilt tugged at Louis' heart but he ignored it, pulling Harry into a warm embrace instead, biting his lip harshly as he heard a quiet sniffle from the boy in his arms.

After what felt like hours, Harry had gone still. Louis carried the sleeping boy back to their quarters, trying to convince himself again and again that he'd done the right thing. No matter how much he wanted to kiss Harry and pretend that they were in their own, problem-free world, he just couldn't. He couldn't take advantage of Harry's vulnerable state like that. Harry deserved so much more.

But even as he finally started to believe himself that he'd done the right thing, it didn't make it hurt any less.

*

The following day, Harry was locked up in their quarters. The Alphas made sure to never leave him alone, each of them taking turns in accompanying and looking after him. Something very unnecessary in Harry's opinion, but he didn't want to argue with them so he just let it be.

Besides, he had other things to worry about. He was busy reading through the list of books he'd asked Niall to bring up from the archives. The Omega figured that since he had a few more days to spare, he might as well finish what he'd started. Quite proudly, Harry was making a lot of progress from when he'd first began. He didn't want to expect to much, but he could feel it in his gut, like a subtle whisper or premonition—he was going to succeed in this.

Niall had asked him what he was doing, which Harry immediately answered with a lie, saying it was just a new hobby he'd found. Probably sensing that he didn't really want to talk about it, Niall just dropped the topic.

It was sometime around eleven in the morning when Harry realized he was the only one in the room (Niall was probably in the bathroom, or maybe he made a trip to the kitchens), surrounded by towers of books and scrolls and burried beneath pieces of paper and writings. He'd stayed up all night, nearly filling his entire journal with notes. 

It was a brilliant and productive way to get his mind off of things. No, he didn't have to think of the fact that he was going to be kicked out of the Fort, or that he had to go back to Benedict, or that he was a hopeless and miserable Omega, or even Louis Tomlinson. None of that plagued his mind. He was fine.

He was genuinely, honestly fine.

Harry was feeling all jittery and restless as he scrawled down messily on his journal, the gears in his head turning at full speed. He was so close. He was actually going to do this. He was excited and nervous all the same, wondering if after all this work he was actually just crazy after all.

"Of course!" Harry yelped, eyes widening as he found the exact plant he was looking. He'd looked through nine books just to find it. He quickly wrote it down on the paper, eyes focused and body filled with so much energy.

He flinched when he heard sudden loud screams, immediately jumping to his feet. He soon realized that the commotion was from outside, on the field. He crept up on his bed, stepping on a few books in the process as he peered down the window, eyes widening at the sight.

Just as he'd predicted only a few days ago— the Infirmary was now swarming with newly-turned beasts. The infected victims the healers had failed to poison were now no longer human.

He was right with his suspicions, after all.


	17. Chapter 17

The chatter inside the Main Hall only grew louder, numerous Troopers preparing for another night of hunting and scrounging the woods. Louis cleaned his armor with a piece of cloth, back turned to his troop mates as he focused on getting his task finished.

Louis felt a small pinch in his heart that this was one of the final days he'd work as a Trooper. When he made a deal with Benedict to allow Harry into the Fort by risking his own badge, he'd meant it. Until now he planned to keep his word and resign as a Trooper since Roy had deemed Harry unfit of being part of the Fort.

It hurt because this life was all Louis had known—the hunting, the killing, the fighting. But he didn't regret what he'd done. He'd gladly drop everything on any given day if that meant he'd get to be with Harry and protect him. Turning his back on this job was one of those instances.

Right now, he'd much rather be with Harry in their quarters, but the boy obviously needed space. After their little incident by the creek…perhaps Louis wanted space for himself too. So, he was left with no choice but to join the hunt today and ask Niall to look over Harry instead. He didn't trust Niall as much as he trusted himself, but he was the next best thing.

There was a pat on his back, and then Aaron was standing next to him with a sympathetic look. "Hey, how are you holding up? I, uh, heard about Harry."

"Okay? Who hasn't?" Louis snapped, shrugging the man's hand off his shoulder.

"I didn't mean to offend you," Aaron said, "I just wanted to say that you have my support, for fighting for Harry to stay. Just because he's an Omega doesn't mean he can't be an excellent addition at the Fort."

Louis smiled tightly. "Yeah. Well, thanks. But it's a lost cause. Roy is a stubborn bitch."

Aaron snorted. "Tell me something I don't already know."

A horn sounded in the distance, signalling the beginning of the hunt once again. Louis honestly didn't see the point in continuing this, since the strategy obviously wasn't working. Instead of finding nests and ambushing unsuspecting beasts, it happened the other way around. More and more Troopers had been disappearing and getting injured in the last few days, and Roy continued to turn a blind eye.

"Well, I'll go ahead." Aaron said before stalking off towards his group.

Louis sighed, putting his armor on and letting his eyes wander across the field and up the Fort building's windows. Harry was somewhere up there doing who knows what, and Louis honestly wanted nothing more than to throw his weapons aside and run to the Omega. But obviously, that wasn't happening.

Liam and Zayn appeared on either side of him, each patting his back.

"Ready to go?" Liam asked, hanging his weapons belt around his hips.

He gave them an unenthusiastic nod before walking ahead, towards the rest of their troop mates. Before they could get much farther, though, there was a high-pitched scream cutting through the air.

On intinct, Louis drew his sword and swereved around, eyes scanning the field. His gaze eventually fell on the Infirmary house, where several healers were stumbling out of the place with panic-stricken faces.

Louis' feet was dragging him towards the commotion already, barely aware of Zayn and Liam at his heels. A middle-aged healer tripped just as Louis arrived by her side, holding her up to keep her from falling to the ground.

"What happened?" Louis asked the trembling lady.

She looked up at him with wide, terrified eyes. "There are beasts inside the Infirmary!"

"What?"

As if on cue, there was a loud and long howl. The three Alphas dashed towards the Infirmary where other Troopers were already gathering around. There was one beast standing right outside the building, looking uncharacteristically frail and—was it actually terrified?

A good distance away, a group of Troopers had trapped another beast, though that one in particular seemed a lot more aggressive. It was lunging and slamming into Troopers, clearly insistent on escaping into the woods.

The beast before them was very small, perhaps it was a child, and it wasn't putting up a fight. Jeremy was slowly approaching it, the hand holding his sword hidden behind his back as he did so.

Louis' attention was caught by a very familiar voice—one that he discovered belonged to Niall as he looked to the side. He was talking to Zayn, and at first Louis just ignored him, but then he did a double take.

"Niall?" Louis marched towards him, contusion evident on his tired face. 

"Oh, uh, hi Louis." Niall muttered uncertainly, like he didn't plan on seeing Louis.

"What on earth are you doing here? Why'd you leave Harry?" Louis' voice was nearing a shout, but he couldn't help it.

"About that…" Niall trailed off, wincing.

"He said he can't find Harry." Zayn chimed in, looking worried. "Where could he have gone?"

"What?" Louis sneered, grabbing Niall by his collar, "You had one fucking job!"

"He wasn't in the quarters when I came back! I told him to stay put!" Niall defended helplessly.

"Cut it out, you two." Liam said firmly as he approached them, dragging Niall away from the older boy's grasp.

Louis was beyond worried. Literally anything could be happening to Harry right now, he could be anywhere and with anyone. It could be in grave danger and they had absolutely no clue where he was.

"Let's find him," Louis practically growled, shoving Niall as he walked past him just because he was still beyond pissed at his carelessness.

They walked in a haste, passing other Troopers who were making their way to the Infirmary. When they'd made it near the Fort's building, Louis turned to the three Alphas.

"Niall, Zayn, check the buildings. Liam, we're searching the grounds."

With a nod, Zayn pulled Niall along into the building, while Louis and Liam marched towards the edge of the forest. Moments later, they were running, eyes scanning their surroundings as he called for the Omega.

"Harry!" Liam called from behind him.

Louis was trembling with anxiety, but he couldn't let his panic and fear get the best of him now. He needed to find Harry right now, so whatever he was feeling would have to wait.

Half an hour had already passed, and they were still scouting the edge of the woods. Louis hoped they wouldn't have to go any deeper into the forest, since he could only hope that Harry didn't make it that far for whatever reason he'd left in the first place.

If he'd ever left at all. What if he was kidnapped? Taken by some rogue Alphas? The possibility of such incidents only made Louis' voice louder as he called for the boy, body even more filled with adrenaline as he ran back and forth, checking behind trees and any possible place he'd overlooked.

Louis was a good distance away when Liam called for him, pointing at something in the woods. Louis quietly walked to his side, eyes narrowing as he looked at the space between the two trees. His eye caught movement—and then he was staring at a beast's tail, swaying side to side with its back turned to them. Both Liam and Louis unsheathed their swords and approached, going deeper into the forest and letting the thick trunks and bushes veil their presence. That was before they heard a familiar voice.

"…just like that. I'll fix this, I promise."

Louis' heart stopped in his chest when he saw Harry crouched down in front of the beast, his hands on the creature's face, speaking softly. There was another beast beside him, curled up on the floor, nuzzling its head against Harry's thigh.

Liam looked like he'd seen a ghost, too astonished and shocked to move from where he was standing. Louis honestly didn't know what to make out of the situation, but his protectiveness over the Omega won instantly.

"Harry, get down!" Louis yelled as he lunged forward, sword aimed at the nearest beast.

"No!"

Harry was suddenly in front of him, gripping his arm before he could land the blade. The beasts were now on their feet, watching them with suspicious eyes as they slowly backed away.

"Don't hurt them!" Harry begged, and upon seeing Liam's hand holding a sword, he added, "Put that away, you're scaring them!"

"Scaring them?" Louis echoed incredulously, looking from Harry's petrified face to the two monsters behind him. "They're going to kill you if you don't kill them first—"

"Then why am I still alive, huh? Why are all my limbs still intact?" Harry snapped, grabbing Louis' sword from his hand and tossing it to the side.

Louis didn't know how to respond to that.

"I know you didn't believe me when we spoke in the archives a few nights ago. But will you give me a chance to prove it? Please?" Harry said, eyes eager and determined as he looked at Liam and Louis.

"Prove what?" Liam asked in confusion.

Harry stepped away from them and turned towards the beasts. On instinct, Louis stepped froward to follow, but Harry gave him a pointed look. The Alpha slumped his shoulders in defeat, eyes wary as he watched the younger boy.

"They're not monsters," Harry began, sitting cross-legged on the ground. He pat his thighs, and almost immediately, the two beasts laid their heads there, purring like cats as Harry caressed their fur.

And, wow. Harry could tame the beasts. Louis just watched dumbfounded as everything he'd ever known and believed came crashing down. All his life he'd been told about the dangers of the beasts, their natural instinct to attack anything that moves, and their irrevocable violence. But now, right in front of his eyes, Harry looked like he was playing with puppies. The Omega didn't look scared at all, and the beasts suddenly looked vulnerable beside him.

"They only hurt you back if you hurt them. They never attack first." Harry said.

"But—but they come to the Fort all the time, we're forced to protect ourselves." Liam said, eyes still wide in shock.

"Because this is their home. Or was, at least." Harry said softly, "They come here to ask for help, and what do you do? You kill them on the spot."

"Ask help?"

"They want to go back to their human form. And I'm going to help them." Harry said, something bright sparkling in his eyes.

Louis watched as the Omega picked up a glass vial from the ground, containing a purple liquid. 

"What's that?" He asked.

"Their venom. I need it to make the cure." Harry said, standing up.

Then, the Omega took his hand and pulled him forward until he was in front the of the beast. The beast flinched as Harry pulled Louis' hand towards its face, but eventually calmed down thanks to Harry's voice. Harry gave Louis a reassuring look before letting go of his hand and urging him to touch the beast.

Louis couldn't do it at first. Every single time he saw a beast, his instinct told him to grab his sword and strike it down. He thought he was saving the world by doing this, being a hero. But then Harry came up with this absurd and crazy theory. Louis had immediately dismissed it when Harry had first told him about it, but now, a part of him wanted to believe the boy.

Louis finally had the strength to press his palm on the top of the beast's head, carefully running his fingers through its silky fur. It didn't bite his hand off. It didn't lunge at him. It didn't attack. Instead, it leaned into the touch, nuzzling its head deeper into his hand. When he turned to look beside him, Liam was doing the same thing, eyes wide and mouth open in disbelief.

"Look at their eyes. Do you see a monster?" Harry said.

The beast in front of Louis had strangely familiar brown eyes, eyes that didn't look as animalistic and savage as the rest of its features. Harry was right. He couldn't explain it, but Louis could see wisps of humanity in it, shadows of what used to be.

These beasts were all humans once. Harry had told him that night in the archives that he'd sabotaged the healers' potions and medicines, and instead of letting them poison the infected victims, Harry had replaced the poison with a harmless, similar-looking medicine. It was his experiment of some sort—to confirm if these bitten people would actually turn, if the venom that now ran through their veins would alter them.

And he was right.


	18. Chapter 18

A lot had changed in the past few days.

Louis couldn't function as a Trooper anymore, ever since Harry had proved to him that his suspicions were possible. There was also the fact that Harry was to be sent away back to the mansion later in the evening, and Louis didn't plan of getting left behind.

His shoes echoed against the marble floor, shoulders tensed and hands balled into fists as he approached Commander Roy's office. The guard waiting by the man's door let Louis pass, and soon he was standing before the man who was hunched over the table, busy writing something on a piece of parchment paper.

Louis cleared his throat to announce his presence, causing Roy to look up from his work and give him a curious look.

"Tomlinson," he greeted, "I do hope you are not here to persuade me with making Harry stay, because as I said before—"

"No, that's not it." Louis cut in, taking a deep breath, "I've come to resign from my post as a Trooper of this Fort, Sir."

Roy didn't seem fazed. "Ah, well. You are a man of your words. Something not most people have nowadays. It's still a shame, you are a good warrior. Or, were."

Louis pressed his lips together before pulling out his badge from his pocket—a golden badge he'd been given when he was sixteen years old, one he'd held dearly for years. He'd never imagined that he'd give it up one day, but he took pride in surprising even himself.

"It was an honor serving you, Commander Roy." Louis said stiffly as he placed the badge on the table.

Roy grabbed the badge and fidgeted with it for a moment before looking back at Louis, eyes curious as always. "This Styles boy really is important to you, isn't he?"

"Well, yes. He's family."

Roy just cocked an eyebrow before standing up and walking to the window beside him, looking out at the forest.

"He's your weakness. Something we can't afford to have at the Fort." Roy said.

Louis opened his mouth to say something, but Roy held his hand up. "If that's all you've come for, you're free to go."

Louis reluctantly turned around, placing a hand on the doorknob before stopping. "Sir Roy?"

"You have something more to say?" Roy asked in an amused tone.

Louis turned back around to face him. "Do you believe in the possibility of a person still able to transform into their wolf form?"

Roy didn't say anything for a long while. Louis actually thought the man wouldn't answer until he said, "Yes. I've seen it myself."

Louis gaped, scrambling to find words. "You—you have?"

Roy turned his face slightly towards him, though his eyes were still locked on something outside. "I've watched my very own comrades and Troopers turn. And I'd made sure to kill them when it happened."

"What?" Louis gasped, dumbfounded. 

Roy knew. Roy himself was aware of this, probably had known for years yet here he was, slaying beast after beast. Louis' mind was whirring, thoughts tumbling all over one another. He now wondered how many more high-ranking officers were aware of this, and how Troopers like himself had all been manipulated.

"Certain sacrifices must be made. Don't look so glum, now. There's no way to turn them back once they're vicious, man-eating beasts. Of course the only solution is death." Roy said, his stern voice echoing through the room. "You'd be a fool if you did anything else."

Louis had to dig his nails into his own palms to keep himself calm. "How do you sleep, knowing you've murdered them?"

"How we've murdered them, you mean." Roy said calmly. "I feel rather proud of myself. For ending their misery and saving the lives of countless others."

There was a knock on the door, then a messenger strode into the room, whispering something into Roy's ear. Louis clenched his jaw and stood there, his glare burning holes into Roy's body.

"I'm afraid our little chat has been cut short," Roy told him with a smile, "Once again, I thank you for your service these past few years. May you have a safe trip."

Louis forced himself to walk out the door, looking over his shoulder one last time to find Roy watching him curiously with a ghost of a smile on his face. And then, the door was shut in his face.

On his way back to the Main Hall, Aaron and a few other Troopers approached him, giving him a sad smile.

"Is this goodbye, then?" Aaron said, shoving his hands into his pocket.

"I guess so. I might come back for a visit, you never know." Louis said, trying to lighten the mood.

"You're really willing to give this all up, eh?" Another Trooper called Alex said.

Louis shrugged. "It's not so bad."

Perhaps he himself needed convincing still. It was a tough decision, truly, but somehow a part of him had always known that he'd leave this place eventually. The fact that he was doing this for Harry just made Louis feel a lot more comforted and certain of his decision.

"Well, we'll surely miss having you around." Aaron said, his smile slipping off his face as he said, "The Fort gets emptier and emptier each day. With all the missing ones, you know."

Aaron looked crestfallen, and Louis couldn't really blame him. His twin brother, Aren, was no doubt still out there—not that Aaron would be able to recognize his twin if he did see him in his wolf form.

A part of Louis wanted to tell Aaron this, all the things he'd learned from Harry and how Roy had practically confirmed it all, how there's such a big risk that he might slaughter his own brother without him even knowing. But then, Aaron would probably look at him silly and treat him the same way he'd treated Harry when the boy told him the first time—like he was mad. That the entire thing was ridiculous and quite impossible.

So, Louis just opted for a smile, patting the Alpha on the shoulder. "You'll be fine. I know it. One day, this is all gonna end."

And Louis meant that, because he believed in Harry and his mission to create a cure—despite how impossible it seemed.

*

The table where he'd left Harry was now swarming with people. So many people were surrounding Harry that it was impossible to see even an inch of the boy. Louis' eyes widened, his concern immediately turning into a fierce desire to protect the Omega.

Before Louis could start a fight and order everyone out, Harry's familiar giggles echoed through the room. Frowning, Louis shoved his way past a few people to get to the front. A smile crept onto his face when he saw what the commotion was all about—Niall was sitting next to Harry, an arm thrown over the Omega as the blonde babbled about who knows what, though his audience seemed to be enjoying the story and were laughing along. Harry had a light blush on his cheeks, though his eyes were sparkling and his face was graced with a beautiful, beaming smile.

"…and then when I wake up, I was bald. Liam shaved my hair off when I was asleep. I slept through it all!" Niall said, and as a response, the people laughed, including Liam who was behind them, a reminiscent smile on his face.

"Basically, I was miserable for days. Liam did a terrible job in shaving my head, there were even a few scars here and there. I wouldn't leave my room because I was too embarrassed." Niall said as he turned to give Harry a warm smile. "But Harry couldn't handle seeing me miserable. You know what he did? He got his head shaved, as hideously as mine. Then, he fetched me from my room and we both went outside looking like idiots, but at least we were idiots together."

Niall wrapped his arms around the younger boy, and Louis' smile dropped, because he realized they'd be leaving Niall, Liam, and Zayn. He'd definitely miss the lads.

As Niall continued to tell stories, Zayn walked up to him with a small smile. "You ready to go?"

Louis nodded. "Yeah."

For a moment they just smiled at each other, before Louis sighed and pulled Zayn in for a hug. 

"Don't worry so much, you never know when we'll be sent home. It might be soon, since we've been here for weeks already." Zayn said as he patted his back.

"I know, I know. Just—take care, alright?"

Zayn snorted. "If there's anyone to worry about, it's you and Harry. Not us here."

Louis pulled away, eyebrows knitted together. "What makes you say that?"

Zayn pressed his lips together. "You're going back to the mansion. Harry's an Omega, and—well, there's Benedict. I'm…nervous of how things will turn out. He may have raised us, but I don't trust him. Especially with Harry."

"That's why I'm here to stay by his side. I'll make sure Harry is safe and that Benedict doesn't do anything stupid." Louis said firmly, glancing at Harry who was now cuddled up next to Liam, laughing as the Alpha said something.

"I know." Zayn said, turning to look at Harry as well. After a pause, he hesitantly added, "You should tell him, you know."

Louis snapped his eyes back to Zayn, eyebrow raised. "Tell him what?"

Zayn rolled his eyes, smiling as he shook his head. "Anyone with eyes can tell you love him, Lou."

At that, Louis froze. He opened his mouth, but clamped it shut again when he couldn't think of anything intelligible to say.

"What I'm saying is," Zayn said slowly as he saw Louis' shocked expression, "I have a feeling that he feels the same way. I don't know, just talk it out, see where it goes. I honestly can't think of anyone else better for him and for you, but you two."

Louis choked out a laugh, still not sure how to respond to that.

"Just take care of each other, alright?" Zayn said, patting his shoulder and stalking off towards Harry, Niall, and Liam to join them.

The crowd around them had thinned out now. He watched as Harry's trainee friends—Fionn, Cristine, and Anika, as Louis had come to the know, each gave spoke with Harry and gave him a warm hug. Louis' heart warmed as he watched all these people who cared for Harry and gave him all the love he deserved. When they left, Louis just sighed and sat down with the four boys as well, sitting right across from Harry. The Omega caught his eye and gave him a small, sheepish smile, one that Louis returned with a warm grin.

They hadn't talked about the incident by the creek yet, but at least they're back to speaking terms. Just last night, Louis had tried to dissuade Harry from leaving the room to go to the archives because he didn't like the idea of Harry wandering around at night. But then they ended up compromising and Louis found himself at the archives with Harry, watching the boy as he continued his studies and research on the cure. They stayed up all night, ending with Harry snoring on the wooden desk and Louis smiling fondly as he picked the Omega up and brought him back to his bed.

There was a bit of awkwardness that lingered around, but it seemed like both of them were quite eager to ignore it in the hopes of making it simply disappear. Still, though, Louis found himself thinking back to that day all the time, wondering how things would be now between them if he'd actually kissed Harry and hadn't backed out.

But of course, he could never find out now.

When nightfall came, Louis and Harry said their farewells to the Troopers. Harry's eyes were a bit glassy and Louis could tell he was fighting back tears. Harry hugged Niall, Zayn, and Liam separately, quietly saying something into their shoulders as they embraced, causing the Alphas to smile warmly and adoringly.

Even Jaron, to Louis' dismay, had decided to see Harry off and gave the Omega some sort of gift. They had a moment with each other, the Alpha whispering into Harry's ears while the younger boy just smiled and hugged him as a goodbye. Louis watched all throughout, of course, ensuring Harry's safety. He realized that if something good came out of this situation they were in, it was that Jaron wouldn't be able to try anything with Harry. Thank goodness for that.

Liam and Niall gave Louis a hug, and as they pulled away, Liam said, "If there's anything you need at all, don't hesitate to call us and let us know. Okay? Don't think that this will change anything between the five of us. We're basically family, so if there's anything at all—"

"Got it, mate. Don't worry. We'll keep in touch." Louis assured, giving his arm a comforting squeeze.

"Look out for that one, will you? He's too good for this world. Now that he's an Omega, it just, it makes a lot of things more complicated for him." Niall said, eyes locked on Harry.

"I will." Louis said confidently. "You can trust me on that."

All too soon, Harry and Louis were climbing into the car, waving goodbye. Louis tilted his head upwards to look at the Fort one last time, but then his eyes caught something. There in the veranda stood Roy, watching with his signature smirk as the two went to leave. Louis clenched his jaw and only managed to squint his eyes suspiciously at the man before turning away. 

Louis watched as Niall, Zayn, and Liam stood outside and watched the car drive away, until they were merely little dots in the distance, along with the Fort's tall and proud building.

Afterwards, Louis turned to find Harry fidgeting with the hem of his sweater, eyes casted outside. He looked deep in thought, but Louis could easily sense the nervousness radiating off of his body. Louis scooted closer to him and took his hand, hoping that it would calm the boy down.

"What do you think he'll say?" Harry whispered after a while, voice shaky and insecure.

"Honestly? I don't know. Something harsh probably, like always." Louis said with a shrug, watching as Harry turned to look at him with worried eyes. "But you know what? It doesn't matter what he says. Really. What matters is what you think."

Harry gave a small smile and said, "I'm actually quite happy to be an Omega. I guess I've always kind of known, and I was totally fine with it. But of course, I have to live up to people's expectations and, well, an Omega isn't really much but some rare treasure that people will always see as objects. That part kind of sucks."

Louis sighed and threw an arm over his shoulders, pulling him closer. "You want to know what I think?"

Harry nodded almost nervously.

"I think you're more than what people think. Being an Omega doesn't define you, really. And I think that people should pay more attention to your good heart, your bravery, and your talents. Because all your amazing traits make me so grateful that I get to be by your side, Harry Styles."

Harry smiled again, but this time it seemed a lot more genuine. After that they didn't talk much, and just watched the blur of colors beyond their windows, eyes open with wonder and minds filled with endless thoughts.


	19. Chapter 19

Harry looked out the window, eyes distant as the surroundings slowly became familiar to him. On his left stood a tall tree which he used to climb when he was younger. One time, he'd fallen and had injured his leg, causing him to stay in bed for weeks as he healed.

Louis, of course, had stayed with him the entire time. Louis told him all about what was happening outside, the activities they did, and all the things he'd witnessed that he thought he'd share with Harry since he couldn't be there to see for himself. The Alpha had always been for him then, and until now, he never failed to show Harry how much he genuinely cared. Louis was the person he trusted the most, the person he trusted with his life. Sometimes, it scared him.

They were both silent as the car drove past the golden gates, the mansion coming into view as the vehicle slowed down to a stop. Harry took a deep breath, hoping this wouldn't be the last time he'd see this place if Benedict decided to kick him out as well.

The mansion itself wouldn't be special if it weren't for the fact that this was where he'd met the four most important people in his life—Liam, Zayn, Niall, and Louis. There was also the downside, of course, one called Benedict. Benedict had taken them under his wing, and although people see them as Benedict's children, it had never been that way. He saw them only as his experiments, his recruits. Students to be taught, not children to be loved.

Louis had climbed off the car and opened the door for him, taking his hand as he stepped out like the gentleman he was. Harry smiled up at him, and then they walked past the tall double doors, fingers intertwined.

Inside, it was cold and damp, dull and lifeless. As always. They proceeded up the staircase, the only sound being their footsteps against the marble floor. The place was a disastrous beauty—everything looked and felt vacant, empty and lifeless. If it weren't for the cleanliness and the sparkling tiles, anyone would have thought the place was totally abandoned. 

Once they'd reached Benedict's office, the doors were pushed open by a pair of servants. Inside, the room was dimly lit, illuminating an empty table. Benedict was standing by the window, back turned to them, eyes casted on the endless forests. He picked up a glass from the table and took a sip.

No one spoke for a moment even as the servants shut the door closed, drowning them in tensed silence. Benedict then decided to speak, still not turning to face them.

"How was the trip, then?" Benedict's voice was plain and emotionless.

"Fine." Louis responded gruffly.

Benedict raised the glass to his lips, chugging down its contents before letting out a long breath.

"When you said you'd give up your badge if Harry messed up, I didn't believe you at first. Yet, here we are." Benedict said, spinning around and walking towards them. "You're a stupid, idiotic boy, Louis, but at least you keep your word."

Now that Benedict had stepped into the light, Louis' eyes widened by a fraction upon seeing a deep, raw scar cutting across his face from the left side his of his forehead across the bridge of his nose and down to his right cheek. It stood out like ink on paper, and made Benedict seem even more intimidating than he already was.

"What happened?" Harry asked quietly, his voice filled with concern.

"We're at war." Benedict said as he poured more beer into his empty glass. "Several Forts from our region has been shut down. After consecutive and relentless attacks from the beasts, they finally ran out of Troopers. Now they're nothing but corpses and useless pieces of meat for the beasts to feast on. I've been to many battles myself, and it wasn't any better."

It was only during times like these that Louis remembered just how important Benedict was. His role as the Head Commander meant he had to oversee all the Forts in their city, including the one run by Commander Roy. Slowly, their defenses were crumbling, and Louis had no idea just how crucial their situation was until now.

"Only three Forts are still functioning, and even those Forts are at the brink of defeat.The city is currently the beasts' buffet, and here the two of you are, running from your responsibilities like cowering fools." Benedict's voice boomed, slamming his glass onto the table, eyes blazing as he looked up at the two boys.

Benedict took a deep breath before straightening his back and saying, "There. I've told you my story. You tell me yours."

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but Louis beat him to it. "Harry has presented. He's been ordered to leave the Fort. I've decided to come with him."

Benedict smiled bitterly. "I've never had much expectations from Harry, but—Louis? You disappoint me. Your Fort is slowly crumbling to rubble and what do you do? You shove your obligations aside, for what? To babysit him?"

Louis clenched his jaw. "As you said, I keep my word. I resigned from being a Trooper, but that doesn't mean that I can't serve in other ways—"

"Excuses, excuses. I don't want to hear it." Benedict cut him off with a careless wave of his hand. The man returned to his glass of beer as he looked through the papers on his table, and only then did Louis realize just how much older the man looked. His hair was now completely gray, face wrinkled in every corner.

Benedict suddenly stopped what he was doing to look at Harry, a thoughtful look taking over his features. He sniffed at the air with a frown. "The last time I was this close to an Omega was years ago. I was considered a god for finding myself a mate, a beautiful Omega who'd given me heaven on earth. But then of course, all beautiful things must end. She died giving birth. Almost every Omega dies giving birth."

Louis was vaguely aware of this story. Benedict used to have a wife, apparently even led a normal life. After his mate's death, though, he suffered horribly. Perhaps that explained why he'd turned into who he was now. Perhaps, his fate was so bitter that he made it his job to make other people's lives miserable as well.

"We are all murderers from the moment we're born—killing our mothers who'd carried us for months." Benedict said lowly, and Louis could tell that the man had just about too much beer to drink.

Harry and Louis stood still in their spots as Benedict walked towards them, body slightly swaying. He looked each boy in the eye before sneering and pointing at the door.

"I don't know what either of you plan to do with your lives now, but I have just about enough in my hands to try and figure that out too." Benedict said lowly, eyes flitting from Harry to Louis. "Get out, and don't disturb me again."

Louis sent a final glare at the man before pulling Harry along with him and walking out of his office, making sure to slam the door as they left. Louis wanted to understand that Benedict was clearly stressed and frustrated, since it obviously wasn't an easy task to be the Head Commander, but Louis couldn't brush off his feeling of disappointment. He'd expected this, anyway, that Benedict would be an asshole, but it didn't make his anger any less.

The two boys found themselves outside sitting on the grass, staring at the place they called "home". Louis just sighed and took Harry's hand, frowning when he felt it trembling against his. When he looked up, he found Harry's face streaked with tears, his lower lip quivering.

"Do you hate me now?" Harry said, eyes set on his lap.

"You know I never could." Louis said as he reached over and wiped a tear from his face.

"You can't go back to the Fort. Benedict hates you. You're stuck here—and we both know how much you hate it. All because of me." Harry said.

"Don't blame yourself. I've made my choices, and I don't regret any of them." Louis paused, tucking a stray curl behind the boy's ear. "As long as it's for you and as long as I'm with you, I can never be happier."

Harry didn't say anything, didn't smile either, and simply pressed closer to him, burying his face in Louis' chest. And despite everything, despite the circumstances and the on-going battle with hundreds and thousands of beasts, Louis felt at peace, wallowing in Harry's warmth and scent.

*

A few days later, Harry and Louis fell into some kind of routine. In the morning, the two would practice outside as the sun rose, bathing them in golden rays as the air filled with the sound of their swords clanking against each other, as well as their laughter. During lunch, they would leave the mansion and find a different place in the city to eat, exploring the place as well. They kept their eyes and ears open for any possible jobs they could apply for, though they weren't much in a hurry. When nighttime came, they would proceed to the mansion's library or the other libraries in the city. Louis kept Harry company as the Omega continued his mission in finding and making the cure.

Benedict paid them no mind and ignored them completely, as though they weren't even there.

But as much as Louis enjoyed Harry's company, he knew he wasn't exactly content. There was always a part of him that was itching to grab his sword and swing, part of him that wanted to dive into battle and defeat enemies. On occasion, Louis paraded down the streets with a hidden sword, almost taunting beasts to jump up at him from dark alleyways just so he could do something familiar. But it was harder now, knowing that these beasts were once human and that Harry could possibly create a cure for them. So basically, Louis was torn between what he'd always known, and what he'd come to discover.

On one particular night, Louis and Harry were walking back home, walking past familiar houses and shops. There was a large crowd gathering before a large building, people talking excitedly and babbling about something to one another. Out of curiosity, they both walked towards the crowd to get a better look.

Their efforts were futile, though, because it was impossible to get a glimpse through the thick crowd. Louis blindly reached for Harry's hand and held it tightly as he weaved through the people. Finally giving up, he decided to ask one of the people beside him.

"What's going on?" Louis said, having to yell over the noise.

"It's David Scarlet! He has arrived to save us all!" The middle-aged woman cried, voice filled with awe and wonder.

Louis immediately knew the name. Any Alpha would know the legendary young man—a free knight who had slain more beasts than one could count, saving city after city from utter destruction. At his young age of twenty-four, he'd proven himself again and again in battle, never losing a single one.

He never expected David to be anywhere in their area, though. The man lived in the northern areas, serving one of the kingdoms there. It was odd to see the man out of his shell, and definitely a curious thing that out of all the places he could have traveled, why here?

"The Scarlet Knight has come to save us all! He has come to slay all the beasts that dare come near us!" A man yelled at the top of his lungs, receiving a loud applause and cheers in return.

The crowd was chanting and yelling again, people jumping and colliding into each other. Louis began walking out of the crowd, trying his best to fight against the strong currents of people slamming into him. At some point, he'd nearly fallen to the ground which would have ended up with him getting stuck in a stampede, but he'd luckily gotten out, hand still tightly clasped against Harry's wrist.

Louis took a well-needed breath of fresh air when they'd finally gotten away, turning to look at the Omega.

"Are you oka—" Louis cut himself, eyes widening.

"Fuck off." A boy that was definitely not Harry snapped, snatching his hand away from Louis' clutch and running back into the crowd before Louis could say anything.

Louis could feel his heart thumping against his chest as he scanned the area, mind and vision foggy from worry and anxiety. He'd lost Harry somewhere in that crowd—Harry, who was probably the only unmated Omega in the city, Harry who he'd sworn to protect.

"Fuck," Louis cursed, walking aimlessly around the courtyard as his head spun from the amount of people here.

He began his search, grabbing person after person who he thought was Harry. They all had curly hair and long limbs, but they weren't Harry. His body went on autopilot as he dived back into the crowd, scanning face after face and asking anyone who was willing to listen if they've seen a tall green-eyed boy with brown curls. None of the people paid him any attention, causing Louis' frustration to grow even more.

There was a possibility that Harry had returned to the mansion already, but his instinct told him that the younger boy must be looking for him as well, which meant the Omega was somewhere here in the midst of strangers.

Louis grew more and more frustrated and angry every second, feeling dread wash over him as he spent what felt like hours looking for Harry and still ending up unable to locate him.

The night grew deeper and the crowd became thinner, until only Louis and a few random people were left milling around the courtyard. After one final sweep of the place, Louis returned home and went straight to Harry's room which he'd found empty. The library was empty as well. He checked every possible place Harry could be in, called him several times and discovered that his phone was in his room, even went as far as asking Benedict if he saw the boy, only to be blatantly ignored.

And still, there was no sign of Harry.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter contains attempted rape/non-con

When Harry was ten, Benedict would bring him into the deepest parts of the forest in the middle of the night. Harry would cower behind the man, his small hands clutching onto Benedict's shirt, body trembling as he looked around and found sinister shadows casted by his father's lamp. 

It would always be eerily silent during those hours after midnight, the smallest of movements and intakes of breath easily heard in the damp air. Harry would hear every rustle of the leaves overhead, the cracking sound of fallen branches and grass beneath his shoes, and Benedict's steady breathing. Meanwhile, Harry would struggle to breathe properly, mind whirling and chest tightening in panic, knowing what Benedict was going to do, and how he wanted nothing more than to run back and snuggle into Louis' arms where it's warm and safe—home.

But then Benedict would clutch his thin wrist painfully tight and drag him on and on, never minding the fact that the small boy was stumbling and could barely catch his breath. Benedict was never one to care and sympathetize, he was like a robot programmed to do one thing and nothing else. Harry should have gotten used to it already, but it still filled him with dread every waking moment, knowing that he'd had the luck to be raised by such a man.

"P-please, I want to go home," Harry had pleaded that one night, his voice small.

"Nonsense. You have a lot to learn." Benedict would dismiss him with a wave of his hand.

Benedict would stop walking once they'd reached a particular open space in the woods, where the ink sky littered with sparkling stars could be seen overhead. 

"Alright. Stand."

Harry would stand in the middle, eyes casted down as Benedict rummaged his bag. Eventually, the man approached him holding a single small knife. Harry accepted it as Benedict handed it over, swallowing hard as he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Stay in your spot until I return." Benedict said nonchalantly, turning to leave before adding, "And stay alive."

And then little Harry would watch Benedict's figure disappear into the shadows, limbs trembling as he readied himself for the grueling hours to follow. 

That was how Benedict trained him to face his fears—the darkness, the forest and everything in it, and solitude. Harry would stand there for hours, clutching onto the small knife for dear life, flinching everytime he heard the crunch of or rustle of leaves somewhere in the dark depths of the forest surrounding him from all angles. There were times when beasts lurked by the bushes, watching curiously but never attacking since Harry never dared moved a muscle and much less tried to attack it first. By the end of it all, when the sun was high in the sky and Harry was trembling, face drenched in sweat and tears, Benedict would return with a hard and stoic expression. Harry wouldn't be allowed to cry until after he'd returned to the mansion and collapsed onto his bed, muffled sobs racking through his body.

Louis, of course, would always appear by his side when Harry woke up, the older boy's arms draped over Harry's waist as he spooned him. Neither of them would talk about it, knowing that they both faced terrible horrors with Benedict, and instead Harry would turn his body to face Louis and press his face to his warm chest, thankful that despite everything, he still found his way home.

Now, though, sixteen-year-old Harry still felt quite dependent on the older Alpha. After getting separated from each other in the crowd, Harry had scrounged the area but found no sign of the other boy. Eventually, he'd decided to return to the mansion instead, assuming Louis would be there by now.

Harry tried to walk faster, but the group of Alpha men who'd been following him for a few blocks made sure to keep up. Harry was quite confident with his fighting skills, but by the sound of their laughter and heavy footsteps, there must be at least five of them. Worst case scenario, he'd have to fight them off and the odds weren't quite in his favor in terms of number.

Harry was practically jogging now, using his long limbs to an advantage. His heart was pounding in his chest, hoping that he wouldn't have to fight these people. He was really tired and just wanted to go home, snuggle up with Louis for the night. But first he had to lose these men on his tail.

"He's quite fast for such a small pretty thing, eh?" Harry could hear one of the men behind him, followed by a roar of laughter.

Harry grimaced before taking sudden turn into one of the narrow alleys, hoping to throw them off. He was quite familiar with the twists and turns around here, hopefully more familiar than those men. He dashed across the wet pavement, splashing water onto the brick walls and taking another sharp turn. He ran and braced himself up onto a stack of wooden crates before leaping over a tall wired fence and falling with a dull thud on the other side. He fell down in a crouching position, steadying his breath as he listened carefully for any sign of the creeps following him. He frowned when he heard nothing, squinting his eyes in suspicion as he slowly stood up and quietly moved.

Then, there was the smallest sound of gravel being crunched beneath a pair of silent feet, and Harry was spinning on his heels, his fist immediately colliding with the side of the man's face. The man—double Harry's size, mind you—groaned in pain and stumbled back, but Harry didn't let him get too far before delivering another blow to his gut and then another to his jaw. The man collapsed to the ground in an incoherent heap of limbs, giving Harry time to deal with another man—this one with blond hair—trying and failing to sneak up on him from behind. Harry made a quick work with him, shoving the buff man into the brick wall followed by a satisfying crack. The blonde Alpha turned around to face him with a broken and bleeding nose, fat hands trying to get a hold of Harry. Harry rolled his eyes at his attempt and kicked him hard in the crotch, causing the man to turn into a wheezing mess.

Another Alpha came at him, this one being quicker than the others and immediately getting his arms around Harry's torso. Harry flailed around until he freed his arms and elbowed the guy hard in the ribs, turning around to punch him in the face and kick him into the ground, slightly disoriented to notice a new arrival. Harry gasped when he was suddenly slammed against the brick wall, his right cheek burning in pain.

"Bitch is feisty!" One of the men, the newcomer, said in amusement as he kept Harry's body pressed against the wall.

There were groans heard, and then shuffling. Harry guessed the men he'd knocked out were now getting back up again. Harry couldn't let all his hard work go to waste and let these men recover so easily, so he quickly scrambled to get his feet flat against the wall before kicking off it with all the strength he had left, and freeing himself from where he was caged against the wall.

Harry's fall was cushioned by the man behind him, who he made sure to elbow square in the face before twisting his body and grabbing a long piece of wood on the floor. He slammed it against the man's head, effectively knocking him out as well. Harry didn't waste any more time and dashed out of the tight space, very well-aware that the other men were now on their feet again and most definitely even more eager to catch him than before.

Harry's mind was whirling as he ran through the wet pavements, vision slightly blurred from dizziness. He became even more nervous as he came close to emerging from the alleys and into an open space. If he could just make it there and find a decent crowd to blend into...

Harry's body was slightly aching, especially his head, but he guessed that was fair enough considering he faced four bulky Alpha men in that alleyway. As he ran fast, he frowned and wondered how he really thought there were five of them. Where was the other one?

As if on cue, something hard collided with his head, and then he was on his back on the ground, groaning as he felt blood drip over his forehead. His vision was even worse than blurry now, all he saw were swirling colors and shifting figures. Whoever that was hit his head quite hard.

"…better be worth it! I lost a goddamn tooth!" A voice said, floating around Harry's head. He knew the guy was probably right beside him, but it sounded distant and distorted to his concussed head.

"Yeah, this one's worth it. Look at him. Pretty as a girl."

"Such a fucking tease, as well. What did he expect after parading down the streets smelling like a buffet?"

"Come on now then, time to claim our tasty price."

Harry didn't even realize that his eyes were now shut. He heard faint voices, felt hands on him, but he was completely out of it, feeling like he'd been disconnected from his body. He couldn't even think of anything clearly now, not quite sure where he was or what he was supposed to be doing.

Harry's eyes snapped open when his back harshly collided with a brick wall again. With droopy eyes, he sneered at the man in front of him, while his four friends stood behind him with malicious, glinting eyes, as though waiting for a show.

"You're a good fighter." The man said, his rotten breath hitting Harry's face. "But I bet you'd be a better fuck."

The men all laughed while Harry kept an emotionless face. His head still hurt like it was being pried open, but he knew he had to come up with something now, or else he'd be done for.

"How do you want it, princess? Us taking turns, or can you take it all at once?" The man said, moaning as he began sniffing Harry's neck.

"Enough with the talk! Fuck him already so we can take out turns." One of the other men said.

Harry couldn't help but grit his teeth as he felt the stranger's lips on his skin, sucking and licking like an animal. The man's grubby hands found their way to his hips, pressing hard enough to cause bruises.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Harry croaked out.

The man looked up at him with an amused expression. "Oh, why's that?"

"Because I'm a Winter, and I'll—"

The blonde guy standing in the corner barked out a laugh. "We know, princess. The ever popular Harry Styles. You have no idea how the entire city is craving for you."

"Besides," one of the other guys chimed in, "none of your brothers or your daddy is here to save your ass. Quite literally."

Harry clenched his jaw as the men burst into another fit of laughter. "Who said I needed them to beat you all? Fight me, five to one, and let's see who wins."

Harry could definitely take them. He'd beaten the four Alphas earlier, and he'd gladly do it again.

"You hear that, Ramsay? He thinks he'll beat us," the blonde one said, cackling.

"He already did, dipshits." The man holding Harry, who's apparently called Ramsay snapped. "As I said, he's a good fighter. But I'm quite tired, so I'll have to say no to your little proposal."

Before Harry could blink, he was spun around and slammed onto the wall, so that his chest and face was pressed against it. Harry began writhing around, but his hands were pinned to his back, and someone had gotten hold of each of his legs to keep them in place.

Harry felt a tear roll down his cheek as Ramsay grinded down on his clothed ass, panic and fear overtaking his rational mind. He was completely trapped, he couldn't even move an inch. A sob escaped his lips without his permission as Ramsay reached in front of him to undo his pants.

"Aw, look at the Winter boyboy crying. Where's that feisty kitten now?"

Harry felt his consciousness slipping, his eyes squeezed shut so tight that he saw colors burst behind his eyelids. They did say that the body often shuts down when it couldn't take the pressure or stress anymore. At least he wouldn't remember how it happened. He would just wake up with a sore and aching body, but he wouldn't have any memories to accompany it.

If he ever woke up at all.

Harry didn't know how long he was pressed up against the wall, but at some point he'd dropped onto the hard ground, body cold and trembling. There was the sound of a sword being drawn, howls of pain and grunts, until all there was, was silence.

Harry remained unconscious as he distantly felt his body being picked up. The last thing he remembered was a soft, feather-light kiss pressed against his forehead, and then the darkness was swallowing him whole again.


	21. Chapter 21

Louis stayed by Harry's side the entire time. The boy had been unconscious for hours, and Louis was left with his own haunting thoughts. He pulled Harry closer to him, as though it would get rid of the images flashing in his head.

Louis had located Harry after hours and hours of circling the city when he'd smelled his familiar scent. As expected, his cover-up perfume had worn out, and all that Louis had to do was to find Harry first before any other Alpha did.

When Louis did find Harry, though, he was with five built Alphas twice his size, crowding the boy against the wall. At that moment, all Louis could see was red. His hands trembled as he reached for his sword and let out a deadly growl, eyes hard and cold as the five men turned to look at him. The tallest man dropped Harry to the ground, and Louis' rage only worsened when his eyes laid on Harry's bruised and bloody face, and his limp and unmoving body.

After that, it was a series of pain, sweat, and blood. Louis could barely remember how he'd done it exactly, but he'd defeated the five men. He'd cut them down and dashed to Harry's side, his face softening instantly as he gently picked the boy up with all the care in the world.

Louis didn't pay another glance at the men he'd practically chopped to pieces as he walked past their blood-soaked bodies—five Alphas sprawled on the ground. 

Louis pushed his emotions aside while he cleaned Harry up in his bedroom, gently wiping off the dried up blood on his skin and aiding his wounds as best as he could. Harry was pale and his skin felt cold to the touch. Louis removed Harry's blood-stained clothes and exchanged them for a clean and comfortable T-shirt and sweatpants. After that, Louis spooned the boy, hoping his body temperature would help warm him.

Now, Louis still hadn't moved from his position. He watched as Harry's eyelashes fluttered against his pale skin, small puffs of breath leaving his full, slightly pale lips. Louis didn't want to think, but his mind wouldn't let him rest either. 

Harry had just gotten hurt. Louis failed. He felt so overwhelmed with emotions to the point that he couldn't feel anything at all. All he knew was that the burning rage building up inside him was directed to no one else but himself. He blamed himself for it, he was disgusted at himself for what happened to the boy beside him.

Louis' musings were cut short when Harry began stirring, weak whimpers leaving his lips. Louis immediately sat up and gently took the younger boy's cold hand. Harry's eyes shot open, fear and panic evident in his green orbs.

"Wha-stop," Harry gasped weakly, eyes wide as he hurriedly scrambled away from Louis.

"Hey, hey. It's me, Louis. You're fine Haz. I'm here." Louis whispered, eyes tearing up as he slowly reached for him.

Harry froze, glassy eyes scanning Louis' face for a second before lunging at him and wrapping his arms around the Alpha's neck. Louis sighed and held his slim waist, thanking fate that his boy was fine.

"I was so scared," Harry whispered, his lips ghosting over Louis' skin.

"And I'm so sorry. I really am." Louis said, tears threatening to break free. Instead, he pulled the boy closer so that he was basically sat on his lap.

Harry pulled away so he could look Louis in the eyes. A small smile was played on his lips. "It's not your fault. Nothing happened, so it's fine. I'm fine."

Louis would argue that something did happen, that Harry was beat up and harassed in the worst way possible, but he kept his mouth shut because Harry was smiling-a small, barely there quirk of his lips, but it was there.

"Plus, I got to beat their asses anyway. Before I got caught." Harry said, trying for humor.

Louis just smiled, though his eyes were still filled with guilt and sadness. "Of course you did."

A beat of silence passed, and then Harry asked quietly, "What did you do to them, Lou?"

Louis pinched a strand of Harry's curls between his fingers, feeling its silk-like softeness. He ran his fingers through Harry's hair a couple more times, smiling wider when Harry practically purred and leaned into his touch.

"They got what they deserve, Harry. They won't be messing with you again."

Or anyone else, for that matter.

Harry didn't push any further and simply nodded. Louis soon brought up food from the kitchens, laying it all down on the bed. They watched a random movie playing on the television, and soon enough, Harry had fallen into a light sleep, though Louis couldn't even close his eyes. It scared him to look away from Harry, as though someone would snatch him away if he'd so much as blinked.

Louis would never let that happen again.

*

Everytime David Scarlet would be invited into foreign cities, he'd immediately decline. He was quite happy in his kingdom, where he stood alongside the King and led an army of men who was willing to follow him into the depths of the earth if he said the word.

But these past few months, the young knight was getting bored. Their kingdom was no longer attacked by beasts, and it seemed as though chaos deserted their place as well. David was known for his restlessness and spontaneity, so being stuck inside a ghostly silent castle would be enough to make him mad.

And so, a few days ago he'd received a message from the Benedict Winter—the Head Commander famously known for leading several Forts and protecting tens of hundreds of communities. David's curiosity peaked when he realized that the legendary man was asking him for his assistance—a plea for help.

Now, David was no hero. It was a common misconception, though, since he'd been known as the Scarlet Knight—the slayer of a thousand beasts. It was humbling, truly, but David never did these missions just because he wanted to save people. He did it for a certain price, whatever these men had to offer him. The king he served now, King Alin, had gifted him with an army of men and horses, as well as his very own place in the castle. In return, he served the kingdom for years, until finally, the kingdom no longer required much protection.

David had responded to Benedict's request with a question; What can you offer me that would be worth all my troubles and efforts? Benedict Winter responded with a simple; Something that cannot be bought or easily found. A precious gem that would make you king in your own world.

And thus, David left the following day with a few men of his own, wondering throughout the entire journey just what Benedict had in store for him. Hopefully, it was something truly irresistible, because truth be told, David wanted some action. He wanted to hunt and slay beasts, defeat enemies and make them bleed. It had been something he'd been doing ever since he was a kid, and he was worried his skills might get a bit rusty due to its lack of usage.

The city of Ireya looked very different from his home kingdom. Here, everything was more modern and sleek, cars and motorcycles filling the streets instead of horses. Tall buildings rose from every corner into the polluted air, people bustling around in formal clothes. David could do with a little change, he thought. King Alin just happened to be a very traditional man, but as soon as the Prince replaced him, David was certain that their kingdom would turn out just like Ireya.

On his first day, a crowd had already built up in front of the apartment he stayed in. People were chanting his name, thanking their gods that a savior had come to destroy the beasts in their place. David just sat inside his apartment, letting the praise and cheers fill him up with energy and power. It was music to his ears.

He spent the second day inside the apartment as well, relaxing and lounging around in his living space, perhaps to tease Benedict Winter a little bit before he actually went to meet the man.

On the third day, though, David found himself strolling down the busy polluted streets in a casual attire-a shirt and jeans-unlike his usual outfit which involved chainmail armour and all of that stress and struggle.

He found the Winter's Mansion—literally anyone could see it from a hundred feet away. The place truly was big and spacious, surrounded by endless lawns covered in trees and various plants. A castle then, David thought.

The guards easily granted him access after recognizing him, and then he was inside, eyes scanning over the lawn as he walked. David was in no hurry, so he settled down on a seat beneath a cluster of trees, sighing as wind rushed past him.

And then, there was the sweet scent of strawberry and flowers and everything lovely—an Omega. He stood up, eyes squinting at every direction as he tried to locate the person. Then, he found him.

A young boy with curly hair stood by the entrance of the mansion, his body slender and limbs long and beautiful. The boy had a beaming smile on his face, dimples ornating his flushed cheeks. He was talking to a man with chestnut hair, looking up at him as though he was the world. David watched the Omega closely, eyes following his every movement. He was drawn to it all.

The Omega and his companion eventually entered the mansion, careless and mindless as they laughed and whispered amongst themselves. David licked his chapped lips, wondering who that boy was, and just how he could make him his.

*

Louis had to attend a meeting with Benedict—something he thought would never happen again. Apparently, though, it was tradition for the eldest son to be alongside his father when they welcomed a guest in, so Louis just went along with it.

Harry had just smiled when he told him this and said that he'd be at the library while Louis went to the meeting. As much as it pained Louis to leave Harry alone, the boy assured him that it was totally fine and that he should stop acting like an "overprotective boyfriend", as he'd worded it.

And okay, Louis honestly didn't mind being called that. Harry just rolled his eyes and kissed his cheek before disappearing down the hall, while Louis stood there like the lovestruck teen he was.

These past few days had been...interesting. They still acted the same way the always did; always touching and talking in hushed voices, eyes shining everytime they looked at one another, bodies pressed together during the cold nights. Nothing changed, but really, a lot did. Louis couldn't explain it, all he knew was that he loved Harry, and sometimes he felt like Harry felt the same way. But despite the fact that they'd been raised by Benedict to be brave and fearless, neither of them had the courage to talk about it.

Which was fine. There was no hurry whatsoever. Louis was beyond happy to just be by his side and support him with his mission to find a cure, the same way Harry made his life so much more brighter everytime he so much as smiled at him or kissed him on the cheek. Louis had never felt this content in his life, and the cynical part of him told him that this was all temporary and would end before things even truly started.

Louis entered Benedict's office and went straight to the corner where a long oakwood table was placed, the same table he'd sat on for years ever since he'd turned sixteen. Sat along the table were other various Commanders from the different Forts, Commanders Louis had been tasked to memorize since he was young. Benedict was at the head of the table, of course, paying him no mind as he spoke to a middle-aged man, Commander Russle, Louis recognized him as.

"I'd ask how you're doing, but you're practically glowing, mate."

Louis' eyes widened at the familiar voice, and then he was face to face with Liam who had a smug smile on his face. Louis huffed in disbelief before pulling him into a hug, patting his back repeatedly and quite forcefully.

"The fuck are you doing here Payno?" Louis said, voice still filled with slight disbelief.

Liam shrugged, his smile never leaving his face. "Commander Roy couldn't come, so he sent me as a representative."

The two men decided to sit down before continuing their conversation. Louis took the chance to look at Liam more closely—the guy had obviously lost weight, eyebags more prominent under his eyes and skin filled with more scars and healing wounds than before. Immediately, Louis was hit with a wave of guilt.

Liam saw his expression and shook his head as he chuckled, placing a hand on Louis' shoulder. "It's not that bad. I mean, it is quite worse than when you left, but it's nothing we can't handle."

"I'm sorry I'm not there." Louis said shamefully.

"Nonsense. We've talked about this, right? It's all good." Liam reassured him, before adding cheekily, "Besides, we've been doing great ever since you left. They said you were bad luck."

Louis chuckled. "How's Zayn and Niall, by the way?"

"They're fine. Zayn had quite an injury after falling into a pit, so he's resting for now." Liam said, face darkening.

"What is it?" 

"It's...bad. More and more Troopers are going missing, even more are injured than those who can carry out missions. It's a mess. People want to overthrow Roy, we're low on supplies and it's just really bad, Louis."

Louis nodded sympathetically, knowing that this was the case but still feeling frustrated anyway.

"That's why when Dad sent out word to the Commanders that he might have a solution for all this, Roy immediately sent me." Liam said.

Louis frowned. "He does?"

Liam managed a laugh. "That's what we're here to discuss, Louis."

"Right."

Liam gave him a curious look. "What's up with you, then? How's Haz?"

Louis' face immediately lit up at the mention of the boy. "We've been fine. A bit of trouble here and there, but we're holding up. Harry's still studying for that cure potion, he seems really determined. Me, uh, I don't know. Trying to help out as best as I could. Looking for a job, even."

"Well, don't pressure yourself. To me, it's like you're really happy, so don't let your over thinking ruin it." Liam said with a kind smile, one that Louis immediately returned.

The chatter in the room died down when the double doors opened, and a man strode inside. He was tall and strongly built, eyes stern and calculating. He wore the traditional Knight outfit, looking ready for battle. Just by his aura and stance, Louis knew who he was.

"Sir David Scarlet, what a pleasure to have you here." Benedict greeted as he shook his hand, followed by several other polite greetings from the other Commanders and from Louis and Liam themsleves.

Louis was aware that David was in their city, through he was clueless that it had been his father who'd invited him here in the first place.

"The pleasure is mine. You have a very...interesting city, I must say." David said, voice low and soothing.

They all settled down on the table, and Benedict began introducing each Commander. After all the (unnecessary, if you ask Louis) formalities, they wasted no more time and dived into the meeting's agenda.

"When I heard what was happening here, I felt shocked, to say the least. Back in my kingdom, our people no longer have to worry about beasts and all their brutal killings. I've made it my mission to dispatch every single one of them, until I've practically lost purpose there." David said, followed by a low chuckle. "That's why when Mister Winter asked for a meeting concerning this, of course I came as soon as I could."

"We are grateful, of course." Commander Russel said with a very much forced smile on his wrinkly face. "And as you must know, we are willing to negotiate the terms of our alliance. Only two Forts are left functioning, and even those are lacking men and resources. We would be forever in your debt if you could aid us with our needs, Sir."

Louis watched as David scratched his chin, a look of consideration on his face. "Of course. But as you know, I do require a certain...gift, if you must. I'm not exactly a free-lancing hero. Practical times call for practical needs. And as Mister Winter had informed me a few days ago, he says that he has a very precious gem for me—something quite priceless, I believe."

Louis squinted his eyes suspiciously, watching his father closely as Benedict just smiled at David in acknowledgement. "Yes, that is true."

"I don't want to sound too demanding, but I'll be putting my men, my resources, and my own life on the line for a place that is not even my homeland. I expect it has to be something that I don't already have." David said quite confidently, looking around the table as though he was waiting for a reply.

"With all due respect," Louis chimed in, earning him a warning look from Benedict, "but...aren't knights supposed to fight and protect people? Isn't it their duty? It's odd that you'll be expecting something more other than the usual payment for knights."

Louis couldn't help himself. He was quite knowledgeable about knights, and quite similar to Troopers, they were practically pawns and soldiers when it came to their role on the battlefield. Not kings and lords like David seemed to be acting as.

David laughed dryly. "But I'm not just a regular knight, as you may know. I'm the greatest at what I do, and if I don't raise these requests of gifts to those who want to hire me, then every leader in every part of the world would be scrambling to get me into their homes for me and my army to serve them. I have proven myself, and these such gifts are what I think I deserve. But clearly, if the idea of me asking for so much makes you uncomfortable, I wouldn't mind if you went out and found another man who can do the job I'm supposed to. If there is anyone like that, of course."

David looked very smug and confident, his voice dripping with mockery and condescension. Louis gritted his teeth but kept his eyes on the man, trying to stop himself from saying something he would regret. Liam tried to help calm him down by squeezing his forearm beneath the table.

"That won't be necessary, of course." Benedict cut in, chuckling lightly as though this was all a joke. "Forgive me for my son. He is quite overly suspicious about things. Born cynical, I believe."

Everyone laughed while Louis just forced a smile. David was still looking at him, as though taunting him to say something more. And as much as Louis wanted to, he just kept his mouth shut.

"So, what's this gift you have for me, then?" David said, finally turning back to Benedict with faux innocence.

Louis frowned slightly when Benedict's eyes met his for a moment, the man's eyes filled with something Louis couldn't quite put a finger on. For some reason, it made him nervous and uneasy, lower lip bitten as he waited for Benedict to speak.

"A lifetime companion, Sir David." Benedict said, eyes now focused on the knight. "An Omega."


	22. Chapter 22

"An Omega?" David questioned suspiciously, eyes twinkling. 

"Yes. A son of mine. One I could arrange for you to meet." Benedict said nonchalantly.

Liam had to physically hold Louis down on his chair to keep the Alpha from lunging at his father. Anyone could see just how hard Louis' jaws were clenched, a vein throbbing on the side of his head. His eyes were a cold shade of blue, blazing in fury and rage.

"Lovely." David smiled, shaking Benedict's hand. "We could discuss the more technical parts of our situation with the beasts after I meet your son then, Mister Winter."

"Indeed."

Louis' head was swimming, hands trembling from how hard he was trying to contain himself. If Liam wasn't there to feverishly whisper rationality and reason into his ear, he might have already tackled Benedict to the ground and broke his nose.

Louis didn't even realize that the room was now empty other than him and Liam. He squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head as though it would chance anything before he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders.

"Louis! Get yourself together you idiot!" Liam whisper-yelled, eyes frantic.

Louis just gritted his teeth and looked up with Liam with such venomous eyes that the Alpha took an involuntary step backwards. "I'm going to punch some sense into him, I swear to all the gods—"

"I'm afraid that won't be happening, Louis." Benedict's voice came from behind them.

It was like a bomb went off inside Louis and then he was grabbing the man he'd treated as his father by the collar of his shirt, fisting at it as he trembled feverishly. "I'm not letting you do this—"

"You don't have a say in this, Louis." Benedict said, unfazed. "Will you let me go or do you want me to show you your place?"

Louis was harshly tugged off of Benedict by Liam, who proceeded to hold him back as Louis tried to lunge at the man again.

"How could you do this?! Harry isn't some object for you to give away as a fucking gift, you don't own him—"

"Ah, but I do." Benedict said, voice stern. "I own each and every one of you. I'm the reason you are what you are now. Harry is mine to give away, and if you cared for this city at all, you'd make this sacrifice too."

Louis hostile eyes bore into Benedict's impossibly cold and dull ones, hands fisted at his sides as the older man simply stepped away and fixed his wrinkled collar. He walked to the door and stopped when Louis spoke again.

"Harry won't let you, he'll never agree with this. That's his whole life you're throwing away. And I'll do whatever it takes to help him escape you—"

There was a sudden, sharp pain on his cheek, the sound of the slap echoing through the empty room. Louis looked back up and spat blood out of his mouth, refusing to back down as Benedict towered over him with raging eyes.

"You will not disobey and disappoint me again, Louis. Try anything and Harry will face a true, cruel fate and you'll be begging me to push through with this one instead." Benedict said coldly, voice slightly wavering from anger. Louis maintained eye contact even as the older man walked towards the door, quietly adding, "I'm a man of my words, Tomlinson."

Only when Benedict was out of sight did Louis allow hot tears to escape his eyes—tears of such powerful anger and loathing that it burned his skin.

*

Harry knew Louis would freak out if he discovered that Harry had snuck out of the library and out into the garden instead, but he didn't have time to inform him. Harry clutched his journal against his chest, eyes wandering over the various plants and herbs he'd began planting just a few weeks ago.

Whenever he and Louis would go out to eat, Harry would visit several stores and buy seeds to plant here. For the cure to actually be possible, Harry needed a particular plant called Lilian—a rose-like plant with various-colored petals. He'd read all about it in an old scroll, and it belong to the list of endangered plants. If only he could try, at least—even just one grown seed so that he could test the cure he'd been working on for months.

Unfortunately, none of the seeds he'd planted had grown to look like the way a Lilian was illustrated in the scrolls. He'd have to scrounge more herb and plant stores soon, perhaps even take a walk in the deep parts of the woods and hope to find one.

Harry crouched down to take a closer look at one of his most recent plants, one that had grown as a beautiful red-petaled flower with a thick stem of leaves. Perhaps, if he had time, he could study these plants and find out how they could be used for medicinal purposes. Harry reached for the flower and touched its petal, surprised when he realized it felt like silk against his fingers.

He was interrupted when a shadow loomed over him from behind, blocking the sun's natural light. With a frown, Harry twisted his body, still crouched down, and looked up at the stranger who was looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh, can I help you?" Harry said uncertainly.

"Yes, actually." The tall, brunette man said as he offered Harry a hand, which he reluctantly accepted. He was pulled onto his feet, and now that they were both standing, Harry had never felt smaller. He reached only until the stranger's shoulders, so it was quite awkward for Harry as he looked up at him.

"Do you need directions or something?" Harry asked, scratching the back of his neck.

He wondered how this man made it past the gates, and the only reasonable explanation would be that he was invited inside. Perhaps he was Benedict's visitor.

"No, I came here to see you, really." The man said, taking a single step closer to Harry.

"Me? You must be mistaken—"

"Harry Styles. What a lovely name."

Harry froze, face twisting in confusion. "Yes, that's me. What do you need from me, then?"

Harry watched in utter puzzlement as the man took a step back and leaned down slightly, gently taking Harry's hand and pressing it to his lips. "My name is David Scarlet, beautiful."

Harry snatched his hand away with a nervous laugh. "Oh."

The name was familiar, surely, perhaps one that belonged to a knight. Why this knight in particular was talking to him and kissing his hand, he had no clue. What he did know, though, was that he was feeling very uncomfortable right now as David blatantly looked him up and down, eyes scanning every part of him.

"What are you doing?" Harry said, sounding a bit annoyed.

"Inspecting."

"…okay?"

David flashed him an award-winning smile before he began walking. He belatedly realized that David was walking circles around him, like some predator watching its prey.

"How old are you, Harry?" David asked, voice slow and deep.

"Sixteen."

"Hm. Do you know how old I am?"

"I don't care."

To his surprise, David barked out a surprised laugh, looking at Harry like he'd just said the funniest joke to ever exist. "A bit sassy, I like it."

Harry was getting beyond pissed. What did this man think he was doing, inspecting Harry like some sort of product he was considering to buy? He did not appreciate that at all.

"I don't know what you want, but I have somewhere else to be." Harry finally said, walking away from the guy.

Before he could get much farther away, a hand grabbed his wrist and he was spun around, causing him to collide into a hard chest. Harry gritted his teeth and looked up as David smiled smugly at him. Harry froze as the older man leaned down, his breath hitting the side of Harry's face.

"I'll be seeing you around. And I hope then, you'd stop walking away from me, sweets." David said huskily into his ears.

Harry grunted in annoyance and pushed against his chest, finally detangling himself from him.

"Fuck off." Harry sneered in disgust before turning around and dashing away, though he didn't miss the smirk that crept onto David's lips.

If Harry knew that being an Omega involved this much harassment and belittlement, maybe he could've been better off as a Beta instead. Almost every Alpha acted like a complete animal around him and it was getting very tiring, and in general was just ridiculously unfair.

Inside the mansion, Harry made to head to his room, but then a familiar voice caught his attention. He quietly walked down the hall until the voices became louder and clearer. There, by the veranda stood Liam and Louis who seemed to be in a hushed conversation.

"Liam!"

Both heads snapped to his direction like a pair of deers caught in the headlights. Liam's inital look of surprise turned into a look of warmth and adoration as Harry practically ran to him and wrapped him in a hug.

"You didn't say you were coming!" Harry said, feet dangling in the air as Liam spun him around.

"Well, surprise!" Liam said as he settled Harry down on the ground and ruffled his hair. "I missed you, Haz."

"I missed you too." Harry grinned up at him, his dimples popping out.

Louis watched with a rueful expression as Liam and Harry spoke. Every time Harry would smile a genuine smile, his eyes would sparkle and his dimples would make an appearance. Louis smiled unconsciously as Harry animatedly told Liam about something, making huge and exaggerated gestures as he went. Louis just pressed his lips together, eyes and chest feeling heavy from dread and rage at the situation they found themselves in. 

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that Harry would be the one to pay for this, that his entire life would be compromised for the sake of the city. Yes, Louis probably was selfish and somehow illogical with his arguments, but this was Harry they were talking about. Harry who had already gone through so much as a child, who had suffered and experienced so much pain that should be enough for one lifetime. Louis couldn't think of what the boy would feel if he learned that Benedict planned to give him away like coins in a trade. It wasn't fair that yet again, Harry had to endure all this.

Louis had meant it when he said he'd find a way out of this. Maybe he failed in trying to keep Harry at the Fort, but this time, Louis just couldn't afford failing again. It would cost both him and Harry so much, something they wouldn't easily get back if given a chance.

Right now, though, he was too drained—physically and emotionally. It would have to wait until tomorrow after he'd gotten a much needed slumber—if he could sleep at all.

As Liam continued to listen to Harry's ramblings, he caught Louis' eyes and they shared a knowing look, their eyes filled with sorrow and an unlit blaze of fury. Liam was probably just better at keeping his emotions at bay and schooling his expressions, but Louis knew well enough that Liam was also protective over the youngest in their group ever since. Louis felt a spark of hope, knowing that he had Liam by their side to face this.

"…tell Zee and Niall that I miss them very much and that they should read my messages and answer my calls." Harry said, his lower lip jutting out.

Liam laughed. "I'm sure they know, but I'll tell them anyway. And you know how it is at the Fort—no phones and distractions as much as possible."

Harry nodded, sighing. "I know. I guess—I miss their voices, you know? And I don't trust those healers there as much as I trust myself. I miss tending to their wounds and making sure they're healing perfectly."

Louis watched as Liam bit his lip, his eyes watering a bit. Louis could very much relate. Harry was just too raw and genuine all the time—his emotions true and touching. It was one of the many reasons Louis loved him beyond explanation.

"That's sweet, Haz." Liam managed, struggling to keep his tears at bay.

Harry frowned upon seeing Liam's reaction, and then turned to Louis, only to find the boy with watery eyes as well. 

"What is it? Did something happen?" Harry asked worriedly, eyes flitting between the two.

Liam and Louis looked at each other, uncertain of what they should or shouldn't say. Eventually, Louis sighed and forced a smile. "There's been a lot of bad news during the meeting. It's nothing."

Harry pressed his lips together as he watched them both. "It's not nothing if you're both so affected by it. Come here,"

And then the two Alphas were being pulled into Harry's arms, the Omega practically disappearing between the two larger Alphas as they wrapped their arms around one another. Harry tightened his arms around their necks, while Liam put a hand on the younger boy's shoulders and Louis on his waist.

"I wish there was something I could do." Harry mumbled against their shoulders.

"It's alright, love. Don't worry about it." Louis said, voice strangled as he swallowed a lump in his throat.

Harry pulled away from the hug, taking in their sorrowful expressions. "You know what, I'm going to bake some brownies for the both of you. Maybe even prepare some tea or hot choco. How's that sound?"

Liam's face practically lit up, while Louis just watched Harry, his eyes screaming just how much Harry meant to him and how much this was hurting him. Harry caught his eyes and gave him a sympathetic smile before dragging the two Alphas into the kitchen where he hoped to make the most important people in his life forget their problems, even if it was only temporary.


	23. Chapter 23

Harry was cleaning his room when he stumbled across an old box that had been hidden at the bottom of his cabinet. Inside, there were various photographs of him as a baby, his baby clothes and even snips of his hair. Then there was a seashell-shaped pendant attached to a thin chain—a necklace he hadn't seen before.

Mindlessly, Harry put the necklace around his neck and continued to rummage through the box until it fell on a very old picture of him as a baby in the arms of a middle-aged, dark-haired woman.

She was beautiful. Harry never really knew who his mother was or what she looked like, but the picture sufficed his musings about who he must've gotten his eyes from, or his dark chocolate curls for that matter. He smiled wistfully as he looked at his mother, a person Benedict never failed to remind him that he'd killed. A beautiful Omega who lost her life when Harry came into this world.

That was a terrible gamble of lives, obviously.

With a sigh, he tucked the picture into his pocket and continued rummaging through his dust-covered possessions, trying desperately to cling onto whatever piece of the past he could find.

*

Louis was back in the damned office where their second meeting with David would take place. Liam sat beside him, looking as miserable as he did. Clearly, neither of the two had gotten any sleep last night.

Louis remembered lying in bed with Harry as the boy told him about his day as usual, how he'd went to the library and then down to the garden, only for David Scarlet to approach him. Louis snapped his head to the side so fast his head actually spun, asking Harry to tell him what happened quite aggressively.

"Chill out Lou. He was annoying and airheaded, that's it." Harry had tried to calm him down, cupping the Alpha's face with his soft hands.

"Sorry. I just—I get worried." Louis managed through gritted teeth, though his expression softened when it fell upon Harry's beautiful, emerald eyes.

"Of course you do," Harry teased, tapping the Alpha's nose with a finger. "Goodnight Lou."

"Goodnight, love."

And then Harry sneakily turned around to peck his cheek before turning his back on him, muffled giggles emitting from his lips. Louis smiled bashfully before wrapping an arm around Harry's waist and leaving a trail of light kisses across Harry's shoulder blades. Harry wriggled around, claiming he was easily tickled, before deciding to simply face him instead since Louis wouldn't stop kissing his back.

"Time to sleep," Harry had scolded him lightly before closing his eyes.

Louis watched as Harry slowly drifted off to sleep, his cherry lips slowly parting open, the rise and fall of his chest slowing down. Like he did every night, Louis would lean in and plant a firm kiss on the boy's forehead before quietly whispering those three words, half hoping that Harry would hear it anyway.

Now, though, his lack of sleep was taking a toll on him. He couldn't think straight, body controlled by his emotions rather than his mind. He hoped that if he needed to punch someone today, he'd be able to punch just fine.

Not long after, David finally decided to join them. Formal greetings were exchanged as the knight took a seat across Louis and Liam, near the head of the table where Benedict sat.

Commander Joel began talking about the Forts and the their lack of men and resources, to which David simply nodded mindlessly to.

"As I'm sure you know, I have an army of a knights at my disposal. Surely, this would be enough to replace the Troopers in the Forts?" David said.

"Yes, more than enough." Commander Russel said a bit too enthusiastically.

"I'd also assume that I will be the Commander of my fleet here? If I'd interpreted Mister Winter's request correctly, he asked me to rid this city of beasts. I have my ways in dealing with these monsters." David said.

"Of course, Sir David. After sending some of your men to the Forts, you will command your own fleet to deal with the beasts that lurk all over the city. There have been enough deaths as it is, it's about time we put an end to it." Benedict said.

"Let's shake on it, then?" David said, standing up to offer his hand. "You have my word—I will rid these streets of these flesh-eating monsters, just like I'd done in several other kingdoms and cities."

Benedict took his hand, his grip firm as he shook it. "And you will be a king in your own world, gifted with a partner for life and wealth and glory, Sir."

Louis zoned out after that, his entire body going into panic. His brain was a fuzzy mess, and everytime he closed his eyes to calm himself down and steady his breathing, Harry's face would be there—bright, trusting green eyes that sparkled, a beaming dimpled smile, perfectly-shaped pink lips, his scent that smelled like home, his warm and soft skin, his beautiful and hypnotic laugh, a voice of an angel.

When no one was paying attention, Louis snuck out of the office, heart thundering as he searched for the boy that owned his heart. Eventually, he found the Omega in the garden, the melodic sound of his laughter bouncing off the stone walls. Louis stopped at the door, letting himself take in the scene—Harry sitting by the fountain, smiling and laughing as he spoke to someone on the phone. While he did so, he threw bits of bread onto the ground, causing doves to land from the sky and gather at his feet.

It was during times like these that Louis wondered if Harry really did belong to this world. Even beside rows and rows of beautiful and rare flowers with colorful petals, even with the clear blue sky stretching above him and the water from the fountain sparkling in the sunlight, Harry stood out. His small and slender frame, his tousled curls that never managed to look anything but perfect, his lovely smile and bright eyes that brought life to everything he looked at. His lips, of course, perfect lips Louis had been dreaming on tasting for so long—too long it actually pained him to look at the boy and stop himself from ravishing him right there where he was seated.

And Louis was faintly aware of, perhaps he just didn't want to admit it yet, but he was in love. He was too deep in, too wrapped up in the Omega to even attempt to take a single step away. Everywhere he went, it was Harry he saw, anyone he spoke to, he'd be reminded of how he'd rather have Harry by his side, how he'd rather listen to the boy's impossibly long ramblings about the most mundane things in the world—and yet, he'd love every single second of it.

His legs moved on their own accord, Harry coming closer and closer as he strode across the lawn, eyes fixated on the only person in this world he'd ever had eyes on. Harry saw him coming, saying something into his phone before ending the call. Harry stood up, a reluctant smile taking over his beautiful face as he noticed Louis' stiff posture and clenched jaw. He knew the Alpha was upset, and Harry wanted to make him forget his problems, as he always did for all their years together.

"Lou? What's wrong—."

Louis silenced the boy by smashing their lips together, the older boy's hand snaking around Harry's waist to pull him impossibly closer. Harry stood frozen and unmoving at first, eyes wide open as Louis hungrily attacked his lips, but then he slowly relaxed, body becoming soft and pliant under Louis' touch and lips.

Louis couldn't stop, didn't even want to pull back for air. This was long overdue, he knew it, and the only person to blame was himself. If he'd been brave enough before, if he didn't worry too much, it would've happened a long time ago. Yet, he couldn't complain either—because right now, he was kissing the boy he loved and Harry was kissing back, trying to keep up with Louis and eventually giggling and just letting Louis lead the kiss. Louis felt Harry's arms wrap around his neck, while Louis' hands explored the expanse of his back, slipping his hands beneath the Omega's shirt to feel his soft, hot skin. 

Neither of them cared that they were in the middle of an open space, free for everyone to see, vulnerable and exposed. Louis didn't care—all he cared about was that he could feel Harry's heart beat against his chest, he could here the small occasional whimpers from the boy's lips—ones he hungrily swallowed. 

The kiss was getting quite heated, Harry's knees buckling while Louis held him up by his hips, pressing him even closer, wanting to connect their bodies for good. Harry was the one to pull away, a bashful and shy smile on his face as Louis pressed their foreheads together so that they could look each other in the eyes.

"What—what was that?" Harry breathed, panting and catching his breath.

"I'm sorry. Did I surprise you?" Louis replied just as breathlessly, caressing the boy's blush-covered cheek.

"Yeah," Harry said, giggling, "but it was a good kind of surprise. I liked it very much."

"Well, I like you very much."

"Hmm, yeah, that's actually quite obvious." Harry said with a playful roll of his eyes.

Louis laughed, dragging Harry away from the fountain and finding themselves a more hidden place to speak—which he should have done earlier, but oh well. They slipped into a small alley, Louis gently pressing Harry against the brick wall.

"Sorry. I don't want anyone else to see you like this. Just me." Louis said with a smirk, resting his hands on the boy's pudgy hips.

Harry bit his lower lip, and though he'd always looked adorable while doing that, he looked pretty sexy with hooded eyes and flushed cheeks at that moment. Louis couldn't help but lean in for a quick, gentle kiss, pulling away before he got too excited.

"What's gotten into you?" Harry asked after a moment, voice filled with genuine curiosity, though there was a small smile on his face.

Louis took a deep breath, fingers slipping beneath Harry's shirt where he could feel the boy's skin. "I—nothing. I just realized how stupid I am, and how much I want to kiss you. I've wanted it for so long."

Harry cupped his jaw, feeling the stubble growing there. "Why didn't you do it before, then?"

"Because I was afraid," Louis said shamefully, gaze falling onto their feet, "I had so many questions. It's an entirely new world and—I was scared. I didn't know if I was ready to explore it."

Harry took his hand and intertwined their fingers, his other hand tilting Louis' face so that they were looking at each other now. "Well, there's no need to be afraid. We'll explore it together. I'll hold your hand, and we'll be fine."

Louis smiled, tears threatening to spill. He felt like he was floating. His heart wouldn't stop beating so fast, his body felt like it was on fire. And Harry was right there in front of him, lips red because of him, eyes glowing and cheeks burning because of him as well. Louis took pride in a lot of things in his life—but this, so far, was the biggest achievement in his lifetime.

"There's something you're not telling me," Harry said softly, his smile softening. "Would you like to tell me?"

Louis pressed his lips together. He didn't want to ruin their little paradise just yet. Plus, Harry didn't need to know about David and Benedict's deal if he could stop it first. "I'll tell you. Just not now."

Harry just smiled, accepting and understanding as always. Louis wondered what he'd ever done in his nineteen years of existence to deserve this, to deserve an angel like Harry. Maybe he would never know. All he could do was hold onto him like his life depended on it—because it sure as hell did.

"Do you want something to eat? That meeting must've bored you," Harry said almost shyly, looking up at him through his thick lashes.

"Yes, of course. You're going to cook for me?" Louis said as they began walking, his arm still securely around Harry's waist.

"Yup. Would you like some cookies? With milk—ugh, that would be heaven." Harry said excitedly.

"You could serve me pig shit right now and I wouldn't notice, probably even praise your cooking."

Harry laughed—or, quacked was the better term—suddenly slapping his hand over his mouth to muffle the sound. "Ew! That's bloody disgusting,"

"Ah, but I would never tell you that. I'd always praise your cooking no matter how bad it is." Louis said teasingly, laughing when he saw Harry's affronted look.

"Excuse me!" Harry gasped dramatically, "My cooking is quite excellent, thank you very much. Perhaps if you don't like it, I'll find myself another Alpha who would."

Harry obviously meant it as joke, perhaps to tease Louis a little bit, but Louis' mind immediately went to David Scarlet. Before he knew it, he'd crowded Harry against the wall again, his hands on either sides of his head as Harry gasped in surprise.

"I'm afraid that won't do. You're mine, love. Only mine." Louis growled, voice lower and rougher than usual.

Harry's limbs felt like jelly at that, tingles running down his skin. "Y-yeah, yours Lou. Just yours."

Louis then smiled, eyes a shade darker as he pulled Harry from where he was pressed up against the wall and resumed to walking.

The two lovers whispered and laughed amongst themselves, unaware of the prying eyes watching them from afar—unaware of the consequences their love for each other had.

But at that moment, they didn't care. They couldn't think of anything else when they had one another to themselves, all bashful smiles and lovestruck eyes.


	24. Chapter 24

As promised, Harry baked cookies and prepared two glasses of milk. Louis just stood by the counter and watched, ignoring the way his heart fluttered at the sight of an apron-clad Harry as he went about the kitchen, everything seeming so domestic and just like—home. He watched as Harry furrowed his eyebrows, the tip of his tongue sticking out of his lips as he mixed together the ingredients, and his curls falling over his face as he ducked down to put the cookie dough into the oven.

When Harry looked up and caught Louis watching him, he blushed and quickly busied himself with the dirty dishes, turning around to avoid Louis' intense gaze. Louis just smiled fondly and followed him, wrapping his arms around the boy's torso from behind.

"Let's go to our room after, yeah?" Louis whispered into his ear, breath warm against his neck.

"S-sure," Harry stuttered lamely, feeling all too aware of how Louis was pressed up against him.

"Good." Louis said, kissing the side of his neck before stepping back and letting the poor, flustered boy breathe.

Louis loved the effect he had on Harry. Harry probably didn't even know, but he also had such an effect on the Alpha, with his wide eyes and innocence. It was enough to turn any Alpha mad, and Louis was no exception.

Soon enough, the cookies were finally baked. They decided to eat upstairs instead, but not before Harry left a good amount of cookies on the counter with a "you never know who needs a cookie, Lou" and finally heading upstairs.

They prepared for bed, like always, but it was all so different now. Louis placed the plate of cookies on the table, followed by the two glasses of milk Harry was carrying. While Louis set up the television for a movie to watch, Harry began changing into his pajamas in the corner of the room. Usually, neither of them would care much about changing clothes (having already seen each other naked plenty of times, anyway) but it was different now. Louis noticed how Harry seemed quite reluctant, his movements timid and calculated.

Louis subtly glanced at the boy who had his back turned to him, his milky thighs on display as he stripped off his jeans. Truly, it was every Alpha's biggest challenge—holding back. It seemed so impossible, with Harry just an arm's reach away, it was so easy to give into temptation. But of course, Louis cleared his mind from these thoughts. He didn't want to rush Harry. And he could tell that Harry himself probably wasn't ready for that yet, anyway. He would never force him to do anything he wasn't sure about doing.

Harry soon joined him, now dressed in an oversized lavender jumper and a pair of pink shorts. Like a magnet, he was immediately pressed against Louis' side, his head resting on Louis' shoulder. They mindlessly watched the movie playing as they munched on Harry's baked cookies.

"Lou?" Harry said quietly after a few minutes of silence, his hands playing with Louis' fingers.

"Hm?"

"What do you think Benedict will say about us?" Harry's voice was small and uncertain, almost afraid.

Louis tried to hide his frown. What would Benedict say about them? About Louis, in particular? How Louis got in the way of their plan for Harry to be handed over like some object to a man who was supposed to fix all their problems with the Forts and the beasts. A man who was supposedly their savior and last chance at survival. What would Benedict do if he learned about Louis' selfishness? How he would compromise the safety of their city just so Harry wouldn't end up with the wrong Alpha?

"I…I don't know. And I don't care, if I'm honest. He might have trained us since we were kids, but he's not my father. A mentor, maybe. But still, he has no say about this matter. About us." Louis said.

He felt Harry slowly nod against him. "Okay."

Louis chuckled. "Okay? That's it?"

"Yeah. I mean, your answer made sense. I guess I should start thinking that way too." Harry said.

"And why's that?"

"I guess, I care too much about what others have to say. Especially Benedict, for some reason. I know he's been really bad to me, probably treated me the worst out of the five of us, but…I guess he's the only father figure I've ever had. A part of me still wants to make him proud, make him not hate me so much. But maybe it's time to accept that that won't be happening any time soon, and that it's okay." Harry said.

Louis tightened his hold on the boy, resting his chin on his curls. "You don't have to do anything for him, Haz. He fails to see just how perfect you already are, so that's his problem. Not yours."

Harry didn't say anything for a few minutes, and then, "Thank you, Lou."

"For what?"

"For always being there. For…making things better. For existing, basically. Just—thank you. Thank you so much." Harry murmured, nuzzling his face into his neck.

"And thank you for everything too, love." Louis said.

And that was how they spent the rest of the night—tangled up beneath the sheets, the television softly playing as their own scents and warm bodies lulled each other to a deep, peaceful slumber—the best sleep Louis had gotten in a while.

*

Louis woke up to the sound of someone knocking on his door. He gently moved out from under Harry, giving the boy a kiss on the cheek before stumbling dizzily to the door. When he swung it open, it was Liam on the other side, hair sleep-rumpled and clothes wrinkly.

"Bloody hell, Louis. I've been trying to find you since yesterday—" 

"Shh! Keep it down." Louis scolded, gesturing at Harry's cocooned figure beneath the blankets.

Liam whispered an apology before stepping inside and closing the door behind him. They sat down on the sofa right next to the door, glancing at Harry every now and then, but it seemed like they didn't have to worry about waking him up since he slept like a log.

"Does he know?" Liam asked quietly, watching as the Omega slept.

"No."

"You haven't told him yet? It would be better if we told him now—"

"We won't have to." Louis whispered feverishly. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Liam said in exasperation.

"I'll find a way out of this. He won't have to be David's mate." Louis said, voice filled with determination.

Liam just gave him a sympathetic look, slowly shaking his head. "It won't be that easy."

"Maybe, but that doesn't matter." Louis said firmly, reaching for his phone. "I've contacted some people I know who could help us find another Omega, even another knight for that matter. It doesn't have to be David with his stupid gifts."

"David's our best shot," Liam said softly, as though afraid to set Louis off, "That's why Benedict and the Commanders chose him. No knight is as powerful and skillful as he is. You won't find an alternative half as good."

"An Omega. We'll offer him another Omega who isn't Harry."

Liam grimaced. "I don't think he'd accept that. He's already met Harry, and to say the least, he's beyond happy with him. If you hadn't left early yesterday, you would've seen the way he talked about Harry. He's positively smitten."

Louis huffed, blood boiling at the idea of David even thinking of Harry. "Then I'll think of another way."

Liam sighed. "It better be soon. Right now, David and Benedict have rode to the Fort to handle a few issues. David will be sending his men to man the place, then they'll return here. Probably a few days later, if we're lucky. When he returns he'll be looking for Harry. There's not much time."

Louis nodded, unconsciously balling his fists. "And you? Will you be returning to the Fort?"

"Not yet. I've made up some excuse to stay here for a few more days. I want to help Harry too, Louis. He doesn't deserve this." Liam said grimly.

After a beat of silence, Louis asked, "Does Zayn and Niall know?"

"Yeah. I gave them a call yesterday, figured we needed all the help we could get." Liam said carefully.

"Good." Louis said, jaw still tightly clenched.

"Yeah," Liam said, standing up. "I guess I'll meet you guys for breakfast downstairs?"

Louis nodded, giving him a tight smile. Liam glanced at Harry's sleeping figure before stepping out of the room and shutting the door as he left. Louis shuffled back to the bed, smiling as Harry immediately scooted closer to him when he felt the boy sit down.

"Wake up, love." Louis said softly, caressing Harry's cheek. 

Harry mumbled something he didn't catch, nuzzling his face into the side of his leg like a kitten. 

"What's that?" Louis asked, amused and very much fond.

"Five minutes." Harry muttered, though this time, his eyes fluttered open for a moment, only to close again. Soon enough, the boy was snoring once more.

*

When Harry finally decided to get out of bed, they went downstairs to meet Liam for breakfast. Harry pouted when he realized that their maid had already prepared their food since he obviously wanted to cook.

"C'mere," Liam said with a laugh, pulling Harry in for a bear hug.

They soon settled down on the table—a table a lot more vacant than the last time Louis remembered. On the bright side, though, at least Benedict wasn't there to join them and spoil their breakfast before the day even began.

Louis and Harry might've sat closer to each other than usual, and maybe they shared way too many secretive glances, but they didn't really care. Liam must've caught on somehow, because when Harry had offered to clean the table and put their dirty dishes away, Liam caught his eye with a knowing, pointed look.

While Harry was busy at the sink, Liam ushered him outside the kitchen and into the hall with a frown on his face.

"Louis, have you got something to tell me?" Liam asked immediately.

Louis gulped. "Uh, what?"

Liam studied him for a moment, his stern eyes and knitted eyebrows softening a bit. "What's going on between you and Harry?"

And okay, maybe Louis and Harry just really sucked at being discreet and subtle, or Liam was an actual mind-reader. Either way, there was no escaping Liam's inquisitive nature now.

"I…I mean, I don't—what do you think, Liam?" Louis stuttered out, tone a bit harsh out of frustration.

Liam took a deep breath, lips pressed together. After a moment, he said, "This is a big problem, Louis."

Louis crossed his arms over his chest, straightening his posture. "You think we don't realize that? You think it makes this thing with David any less painful? It is an issue, Liam, but not something I want to back out of."

"I know." Liam raised his hands in surrender. After a long sigh, Liam put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, a small smile creeping up on his face. "I mean, you two always kind of belonged together ever since. I'm happy if the both of you are, Louis. I really am."

Louis let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Thanks. That actually means a lot."

Liam just smiled and threw an arm over his shoulder, leading him back into the kitchen. Somehow, it was like a burden had been lifted from his shoulders. It made him feel better that Liam was accepting and didn't make much of a fuss out of it. 

*

The sun was high up in the sky, its rays harshly glaring down at them when Harry thought it was a good idea to go down to the garden. Louis watched with a frown as Harry crept along the grass on his hands and knees, seemingly very determined to find that particular seashell necklace he was talking about—one he believed used to belong to his mother that he'd recently found in a stowed-away box.

"Haz, maybe we can look for it later? It's really hot." Louis said, walking over to Harry's crouched figure to block him from the sun.

"But it might be gone then," Harry said distractedly, hands parting the grass to take a closer look, "I'm sure I was wearing it when I went here."

Louis sighed and pulled Harry up onto his feet, getting rid of the grass stuck to his clothes and hair. "Really? When was that?"

"Yesterday, I was sitting there at the fountain feeding the birds and then you came and—" Harry cut himself off, cheeks heating up. "Yeah, I'm sure I was wearing it then."

Louis smirked, lifting his hands to cup Harry's face. "Did I kiss you so hard it actually got ripped from your neck and fell?"

Harry's face became a shade darker of red. "Louis!"

Louis laughed, feeling bad for teasing the boy. He pulled Harry in for a hug, running his hands up and down his back. Harry just nuzzled up against him, a content sigh leaving his lips.

"This is nice." Harry said, voice muffled as they just stood there in each other's arms, slightly swaying from side to side.

"Yeah, so is this." Louis said before cupping Harry's ass cheeks and earning a surprised squeak from the boy.

"Lou!" Harry's voice was several pitches higher, and Louis couldn't help his laughter.

"I'm sorry, babe. You're just too irresistible." Louis said, arms still around the boy as he felt Harry's shoulders shake from a light laugh.

"No, but really." Harry said as he played with the hair at the nape of Louis' neck, "I like just being here with you. Us hanging out as…you know, boyfriends. Hm, yeah, it sounds nice. I like it very much."

"So do I, angel. I feel beyond honored that someone as beautiful and perfect as you would want me back." Louis said.

Harry pulled away, eyes searching his. "Don't say that. Don't think that you're not good for me and all that—because that's not true. I'm not perfect, but I feel like I am when I'm with you. And that's more than enough for me."

Louis just looked down at Harry with all the love and warmth he could offer before leaning down and kissing him once again, feeling the boy's plump lips moving against his own. It still overwhelmed him sometimes, how he could kiss Harry anytime of the day he wanted, how the boy would always kiss back just as eagerly. Louis had never felt this complete in his entire life, and he never wanted it to end.

Louis pressed Harry closer to him, bathing in his scent and smooth skin—loving every moment he shared with Harry, always intimate and warm. Louis licked into his mouth, hearing the boy moan at the back of his throat as the Alpha explored the younger boy. He tasted as sweet as he was, always inviting and ready to please—hot, lovely, and positively maddening.

"Beautiful," Louis panted, lips smacking one last time as they parted.

Harry looked like a heavenly mess—all tousled hair and red, abused lips. God, if Louis was any other Alpha he'd take the beautiful boy right here, right now—

"Ahem."

Their heads snapped to the side, eyes widening like saucers when two familiar faces came into view. Harry's face was so red, Louis was afraid the poor boy just might explode.

"Zayn, Niall." Louis greeted awkwardly, clearing his throat when his voice cracked. 

Well, this was going to be a long day.


	25. Chapter 25

"Good afternoon, lads." Zayn greeted flatly as he stood in front of the two flustered boys, eyes flitting between them.

"We weren't informed you'd be coming home…" Harry said quietly, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.

"Which is understandable, since you were quite preoccupied at the moment to check your phones." Niall said as he cocked his eyebrow, arms crossed over his chest.

Louis pressed his lips together in a thin line, opening his mouth to say something when thankfully, Liam emerged from the front doors with a big smile—whether he was oblivious to the tension or wanted to get rid of it, Louis didn't know—and strolled down the lawn to give the two Alphas a side hug.

"You wankers!" Liam said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Roy let you go?"

"He was quite preoccupied with all the meetings and preparations for David Scarlet. Didn't pay us much of a thought when we asked." Zayn said, eyes still suspiciously squinted at Louis and Harry.

"Alright, well, lunch is ready. We haven't eaten together in a long time, so. Come on in." Liam said as he picked up the duffel bags Zayn and Niall were carrying and led the way inside.

Louis put a hand on the small of Harry's back and they followed Liam. Louis noticed how Harry's shoulders were tensed, head bowed as he walked. Louis should have been more careful, but he just couldn't stop himself from kissing the boy, regardless of where they were. He was a true, lovestruck fool.

In the dining room, the air was just as tense. They all settled down and waited as their food was brought in and served. Louis sneaked glances at Niall and Zayn, but the two had blank, unreadable faces.

"So…why have you returned? Not that I'm complaining." Louis finally broke the silence, feeling like he might go crazy if the room stayed silent.

"We received some news." Niall said vaguely, eyes traveling to Liam. "Truly concerning news. The Fort is being filled with new men anyway, so we thought two less Troopers wouldn't matter that much for now."

Louis had a feeling he knew what this "concerning news" was.

"How have you been, Haz?" Zayn suddenly asked, eyes and voice filled with concern.

Harry looked quite taken aback. "Me? Oh, I'm just fine. I, uh—yeah, nothing to worry about, really. I think I should be the one asking you how you've been."

Both Zayn and Niall frowned at that. When Louis gave them a subtle shake of his head, trying to tell them that no, Harry didn't know about the concerning news just yet, realization dawned on their faces.

"Oh, well, the usual stuff at the Fort. Nothing to worry about, either." Zayn said quickly.

"You, Niall?" Harry asked timidly, turning to the blonde.

Niall must've sensed how nervous and uneasy the younger boy was, because he smiled and reached over the table to ruffle his curls. "Better now that I'm with you, Harry."

Harry smiled at that, a bit of tension leaving his posture. "Well, I'm really happy that the both of you are here too. I missed you guys."

It was like Harry's words were some sort of magic spell, because the next few minutes was filled with smiles and laughter, the tension slowly disappearing. Niall and Zayn talked about the Fort and how tough it had been the past few months, while Harry just mindlessly told them about his and Louis' mundane routine.

"Hmm." Zayn nodded, eyes flitting between Harry and Louis as the Omega spoke, and Louis knew he was about to bring it up. "Anything else you'd like to share about you and Louis?"

Harry abruptly stopped talking, pursing his lips. Louis glared at Zayn for putting him on the spot before reaching out to hold Harry's hand which was on the table, causing Harry to look at him in surprise.

"We realized things. Feelings, in particular. I get it if this…is shocking to you, but—it is what it is." Louis said confidently, sending a comforting smile in Harry's direction.

When Zayn and Niall remained silent and expressionless, Harry spoke carefully, "Are you mad at us?"

Niall immediately shook his head. "Of course not, Haz. I'm only mad that Liam was the first to find out."

Zayn broke into a smile, almost like he'd been keeping it in for a while now. "We'd be proper douchebags if we get mad at you for being happy, Haz."

Harry released a breath of relief, while Louis smiled even wider as he threw and arm over Harry and pulled him close.

"I mean, it was pretty much expected when you come to think of it. You guys were always attached to the hip. Ever since." Niall said with a smirk, laughing when Harry groaned in embarrassment.

"Yeah, that is kind of true. Everyone here is a witness to that." Zayn said, feigning disgust.

Louis couldn't help but laugh at that, heart warming when Harry turned to look at him with bright eyes and a beaming smile. They continued eating their food afterwards, chatting about random things and catching up as best as they could, just like old times.

*

When the sun began setting, Harry disappeared to go to the library, giving Louis a sweet kiss before leaving. Louis stayed in the living room despite wanting to join Harry there and just always be by his side like the overprotective boyfriend he was, but by the pointed looks Zayn, Niall, and Liam were giving him across the room, he knew he had some matters to discuss with them. So, he reluctantly watched Harry as the boy skittered down the stairs, until he was out of sight.

Immediately, as expected, Zayn and Niall were on either side of him on the sofa, while Liam took a seat on the recliner placed across them.

"Talk." Zayn said, looking between Liam and Louis.

Louis sighed in exasperation, running his fingers through his hair. "As Liam must've told you…Benedict plans to give Harry away. Like some offering to David since that sorry excuse of a man demands so much."

"And we're going to stop that from happening. That's why we're here." Niall said, face clouded with worry and a tinge of anger.

"It's quite complicated," Liam said carefully. "Benedict and all the Commanders rely on David to provide men and resources to the Fort, even lead a fleet to completely get rid of the beasts here in the city and in the forests. Benedict would never risk David's support in exchange of Harry's freedom."

"That's why we do it without his knowledge." Louis said quite aggressively. "Benedict doesn't give two shits about Harry. Even if we offer him an alternative solution, he'll never agree. All I know is that he wants to save this city and get Harry out of the picture, and with his deal with David, he'll be hitting two birds with one stone."

Zayn scratched his chin, looking thoughtful. "I assume you've got a plan, then?"

When Louis didn't respond, Liam said, "We were hoping you two could help us with that."

Niall threw his hands up in exasperation. "Brilliant. And just how much time did you say we have, Liam?"

"A day or two?" Liam muttered.

Frustrated groans and sighs filled the room. Louis just stared at the floor, hating himself more and more for each second that passed. Once again, he was at the brink of failing Harry, of letting the boy he loved down. He would never forgive himself if he couldn't save Harry from this.

"There is one solution. A last resort." Louis finally said after a few moments of silence.

"Alright, then. Spit it out." Zayn said as he leaned back on the sofa, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

Louis bit his lip. "Harry will disappear before David has the chance to get his hands on him."

Liam barked out a humourless laugh. "You want him to run away? And what? Ruin the deal between Benedict and David? What happens to the city then if David's support and soldiers are pulled out as well when Benedict fails to hold up his end of the bargain?"

"That would be pointless too, because David would easily find Harry anyway. The guy's a knight and a hunter." Niall said dismissively. 

Louis threw his hands in the air. "As I said, that's as a last resort."

There was a pause, and then Liam said reluctantly, "Let me try talking to Benedict."

They all looked at him like he'd sprouted a third head. 

"What part of 'Benedict won't give a shit' do you not understand?" Zayn deadpanned.

"Just—trust me, alright? While you guys cook up something, I'll just give it a shot. We never know." Liam said.

"Fine." Zayn huffed. 

Louis felt a vibration against his thigh and realized his phone was ringing. He fished it from his pocket and stood up as soon as he picked up. The three other Alphas curiously watched him as he spoke the person on the other line, and in a few moments, he ended the call.

"I'm leaving for a bit." Louis said, throwing a coat over himself, "Look after Harry. I'll be back right away."

"Where are you going?" Niall called out, but Louis was already storming out of the door.

*

Harry was close to giving up.

He'd been spending all his free time either buried in Louis' neck or buried in books and scrolls. He doubted anyone would actually understand a word in his journal if they tried. It was all a bunch of chicken scratches, and even if one could make up his penmanship, most of the words were jargons and names of rare and various herbal, medicinal plants. 

When he was younger, the four older boys would always go out on assignments with Benedict, and Harry, being three years younger and "less-competent" (as Benedict always said) than the others, would be left alone in the enormous mansion.

Craving any basic human interaction, Harry would go down to the maids bedchamber and spend most of his time with them. Although, among all the personnels at the mansion, he got close to a particular Beta healer—Emily, a sweet middle-aged woman.

When he'd finished all the tasks Benedict assigned to him, he'd spend the rest of his day with Emily in the maids bedchamber, watching as the woman cooked various plants, herbs, and liquid mixtures Harry didn't know the name of yet at that time, and transferred them to brightly-colored glass or crystal vials. Emily herself made the medicine and ointments needed in the mansion for their trainings, or simply requested by Benedict. 

Quite unconsciously, Harry began to remember the process of brewing medicine and growing plants than how to effectively kill beasts or knock out opponents. Gradually, he read books about herbs rather than the history of great knights and legendary Troopers and Commanders. He spent more time in the maids bedchamber than in the practice rooms where he was supposed to be trained diligently while Benedict and the others were away.

When Benedict noticed this, he immediately fired Emily, saying she and her stupid healer ways were getting in the way of Harry's learnings and progress. Harry never got to say goodbye to the woman, and only Louis knew that he cried himself to sleep for a few nights after the disappearance of his friend, ever sweet and comforting.

Right now, Harry wished he could find Emily. That woman as a healer was beyond excellent, and a single word from her concerning the cure he was working on would mean the world to him.

Yet, here he was, alone in the library as the candles burned low, the sky beyond the open window becoming darker with every passing second. Harry sighed, putting away all the books he'd looked through. On his way out of the library, he looked through his notes, seeing the same things again and again—the dead end he always found himself in.

The lack of a certain rare plant.

Harry had vials of beast poison safely tucked away inside a wooden chest beneath his bed—the ones he'd retrieved from the beasts at the Fort before he'd left. All he needed was that damned plant to test his theories.

Harry wondered why Louis hadn't come to fetch him for dinner yet like he usually did. He often lost track of time when he was in the library, and without Louis, he'd probably stay there until midnight and just slump forward onto the table to sleep. 

He emerged into the living room, frowning when it was empty. He was about to check upstairs if they'd retired to their bedrooms early, but then he heard a car coming to a screeching halt outside. Curious, Harry quietly made his way outside and peeked from the door, watching as Benedict and a familiar-looking tall man climbed out of the car.

Almost immediately, the tall man caught Harry watching, causing the younger boy's eyes to widen and retreat back into the house. As he walked, Harry realized that it was the man David—the smug rich guy who spoke to him in the garden a few days ago. 

"Harry," Benedict stern voice echoed through the hall.

Harry froze on his tracks and reluctantly turned around, internally cringing when he realized David was standing right next to Benedict, openly checking him out.

"Uh, yeah?" Harry called out in a small voice, taking a step towards them.

"I'm told you've met Sir David Scarlet," Benedict said, the two men walking towards him so that they were now face to face.

"Kind of, yeah." Harry muttered, keeping himself from rolling his eyes when David smirked.

"Well, it's his first time in the city. Would you do the honor of showing him around, perhaps? It gets quite boring in this part of the city, as you know." Benedict said, and no, it wasn't a request, nor was it an honor really.

Harry's shoulder slumped subtly. "Yeah, sure."

"Great." Benedict clapped his hands together, giving Harry a pointed look that very clearly said 'don't fuck this up', and nodding once at Benedict before leaving.

Harry just stood there hoping David would see how absolutely miserable he was with the entire thing. David, though, smiled from ear to ear, eyes sparkling as he offered Harry his arm.

"Shall we go, then?" David asked politely.

Harry gave a tired smile, hooking his arm over David's and giving a timid nod. As they walked outside and past the garden, Harry wondered where Louis could be, wishing it was him at his side instead.


	26. Chapter 26

Harry wanted to pull his hair out.

David suggested that they should ride a horse instead of a car on their little adventure, as he'd said, claiming that he was the best rider in their kingdom. Harry himself was taught how to ride a horse before, but that was years ago, and he would very much rather ride safely in the confines of one of Benedict's shiny expensive cars.

"No, let's not." Harry said, crossing his arms over his chest. "It's unnecessary."

"It's fun." David said with a wink, fixing the horse's reins.

"I don't know how to ride one." Harry lied.

David raised an eyebrow. "That won't be a problem. We'll ride together."

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but at that moment David grabbed his hips and hoisted him upwards, causing him to yelp in surprise. David lifted him with ease as though he weighed nothing onto the horse. Harry, taken by surprise, gripped onto the reins as a reflex and tried his best not to topple over and fall to the ground. David soon sat down behind him, winding his arms around Harry as he took the reins from the Omega.

"You alright there?" David said as he leaned closer, his chest pressing against Harry's back.

"Fine." Harry said grudgingly, trying to put as much space between them as possible.

"Okay then. Tell me where to go." 

And so, Harry guided David through the city, bringing them to the most interesting parts—which, to be honest, wasn't really much. There were memorials and statues of famous people, a large fountain in the middle of the park which somehow counted as a tourist spot, and several markets and shops which sold items that could only be found in this area. He brought them to the city's garden slash park, which Harry often visited because of the creek that tore through the small piece of land, which had a peaceful aura around it.

They passed several groups of men, all dressed in golden armours similar to David's, making rounds around the city. There was even one particular group that were trapping a single beast, their swords pointed at the creature. Harry turned away as one of the men swung his sword downward, permanently silencing the creature's howls.

"These are my men. Quite the team, aren't they?" David said proudly.

Harry didn't say anything, feeling his stomach twist at the idea of more and more beasts dying. Of course, it was true that these beasts attacked innocent people too, but Harry would rather imprison the beasts for now—at least, until he made that cure.

All throughout their tour, Harry was painfully aware of how David placed his hands on Harry's waist or hips, how he whispered into his ear with his lips brushing against the younger boy's earlobe and even his neck. Harry tried to ignore it at first, pretending like he didn't notice and hoped that David would eventually stop, but that didn't seem to be happening any time soon.

"Let's stop here," David said as the horse whinnied, stopping on its tracks just by the creek.

David jumped off first, and though Harry tried to hurry and get off right away, David beat him to it and once again lifted him and helped him down. Harry shoved David's hands away from his waist as soon as his feet hit the ground, walking away from the man and turning towards the creek.

"So, Harry." David said with a long sigh, stepping beside the Omega and looking out at the creek, a small smile on his face. "Are you usually this quiet, or is it because of me?"

"Just quiet. Plus, we don't really need to talk, so." Harry said nonchalantly, hoping that David would catch on that he most definitely did not want to talk to him.

David hummed thoughtfully. "Interesting. Have you ever met mates who don't talk to each other?"

"What? No. I mean, there aren't many mated Alphas and Omegas anyway." After a pause, he added, "I don't see how that's relevant."

David turned to look at him with what seemed like amusement and surprise. "Really, now?"

Harry furrowed his eyebrows, a bit lost. "Yes."

David squinted his eyes thoughtfully at the younger boy for a moment before saying, "Harry, who am I to you?"

Okay, now Harry was completely lost. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just answer the question, Omega."

Harry glared at him. "No one. Some traditional guy from one of the kingdoms. Benedict's friend or acquaintance, I don't know."

To his surprise, David laughed in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

Harry was getting beyond pissed at this point. "What do you want me to say?"

"Son of a bitch hasn't told you," David muttered more to himself, shaking his head with a chuckle.

"Told me what?"

For some reason, Harry started feeling nervous—vulnerable, even. David was looking at him like he was some sort of prey, perhaps indulging in the fact that Harry wasn't aware of something. Whatever that something was, he had a bad feeling that it involved the Alpha beside him.

David suddenly lifted his hand and twirled a strand of Harry's curls, eyes raking through Harry's face. Harry just stood there with cautious eyes, watching David with furrowed eyebrows.

"You're really pretty, you know that?" David said, stepping closer to him.

No thank you, Harry would very much like this to stop. He took a step back, but as expected, David just kept surging forward, Harry nearly tripping over his own feet as he walked backwards, a gasp leaving his lips when his back collided with a tree.

"Pretty and innocent and oh, so oblivious." David whispered, leaning in to nip at the boy's neck. "What more could an Alpha ask for, really?"

Harry was frozen, heart beating loudly as the man sucked and kissed all over his neck and collarbone. He lifted his hands to push him away, but David caught his wrists and pinned them over his head.

"I'm leaving, David. Stop it." Harry said, mustering all the confidence he barely had in his body. "I'm serious."

David just chuckled airily, eyes a shade darker than it was before as he looked Harry in the eye. "Truly, I'm going to enjoy you."

"Fuck you, get off!" Harry bursted out, trying to pull his hands free but the man's grip was far too strong.

David tsked disappointedly. "Don't you want to get to know me?"

"I said, get off!" Harry repeated, although his voice wavered this time.

David ignored him and latched onto his neck once again, and all Harry could do was hold in the tears that was trying to break free. He held his breath as though David stinked, hoping that it would just stop.

"Do you know why your father invited me over, Omega?" David whispered, his lips trailing from the side of his neck to Harry's jaw.

Without waiting for a response, David continued, "It's because he needs me. Needs me to save your dying city and useless Forts, needs me to solve his problems for him. He needs me to wipe out each and every beast I can find in this place. And of course, me being the heroic knight I am, agreed to all this."

Harry screwed his eyes shut as David's left hand wandered down his sides and slipped into his back, groping Harry's backside. "But of course, I agreed to it on one condition."

When Harry opened his eyes, David was looming over him, face mere inches from his. "I think we both know what—or who, rather, that certain condition is."

This time, Harry couldn't hold his tears back. Of course he knew what Benedict would offer. He knew what Benedict was willing to sacrifice for all this. Heck, it wouldn't even be considered sacrifice since Benedict didn't care for Harry anyway. It was more like getting rid of scraps and garbage he wouldn't be needing, or was never really useful from the very beginning.

"Shh," David said, wiping away the few tears that trickled down his cheeks, "why are you sad? You're practically a hero. Without you, your city will go down to ruins. It already is, if you ask me, but I'll fix it. And all you have to do is stand by my side and be pretty and be…well, obedient."

Harry tugged at his hands again, and since David only had one hand around his wrists, he finally freed them. He pushed David's chest, wanting nothing more than to get away from this man and go home—not back at the mansion, but wherever Louis was right now. He wanted to smell Louis' scent, to feel his warmth, to hear the calming thrum of his heartbeat. He wanted to go home.

"It's alright," David said softly, not moving an inch despite Harry's efforts to push him away. "I'll be good to you. I'll take care of you."

At this point, Harry was sobbing, teeth gritted as he mumbled incoherently and hit David's chest, but no matter his anger and frustration, his hits were weak and futile.

"G-get off! I s-said get off!" Harry kept on saying, body trembling and tears continuously streaming down his face as everything sunk in.

He was going to be taken away. Away from Louis. Away from Niall, Zayn, Liam. He was going to be handed over like some unwanted object. The fact that Harry didn't even doubt David's words said quite a lot. He had been happy for some time, content and unbothered by Benedict in any way. Of course—of course something had to give. Of course there was an end to it. Of course there had to be a catch.

Harry wasn't sure how he got to his position, but he was now on the ground, knees pulled up to his chest, big hands covering his tear-stained face. David was beside him, rubbing his arm up and down, but instead of that being comforting, Harry felt like the man was doing it to mock or spite him.

"L-leave." Harry whispered.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. It's late an I can't let anyone else claiming my price before I do." David said nonchalantly.

Harry balled his fists. He closed his eyes to calm himself down, feeling all his blood rush to his head. He felt sick. His stomach was churning, throat tightening. All he wanted and needed was Louis—the one who knew just what to do and just what to say. The Alpha that could understand him with just a single look. The Alpha whose touch made all Harry's pain and misery go away. The Alpha that was right for him.

"Take me home, then." Harry forced through gritted teeth. He could endure a few more grueling minutes with David if it meant he got to Louis. 

David stood up wordlessly, pulling Harry onto his feet. Harry didn't even protest at this point, body feeling to drained and mind all over the place to even care. David hoisted him onto the horse and climbed behind him, and then the horse was noisily galloping across the park.

Harry probably spaced out throughout the entire trip back because the next thing he knew, David was once again helping him off the horse. Without another glance in David's direction, Harry brushed past him and strode back into the house, body tingling with so much emotion he was just overwhelmed.

This time, Liam, Zayn, and Niall were in the living room. They were arguing and basically shouting at each other's faces when Harry stepped in, though they abruptly stopped when they noticed the youngest boy.

"Harry! Thank goodness you're back," Liam said with a sigh of relief.

"Haz? What happened?" Niall said as soon as he took in Harry's puffy eyes and rumpled figure, pushing past Zayn and Liam to get to him.

"Where's Louis?" Harry croaked, voice barely recognizable.

"He hasn't come back yet," Zayn said carefully, eyes filled with worry as he joined Niall's side and tentatively placed a comforting hand on his arm.

"Harry, tell us what's wrong." Liam said gently, standing right next to him.

Harry felt so tired. He wanted to curl up beneath the blankets and disappear there forever. He wanted Louis to run his hands through his curls and whisper in his ear, cuddle him and make him feel alive again. But Louis wasn't here.

"Where's Benedict, then?" Harry asked flatly, ignoring Liam.

"In his office," Liam said uncertainly, "but you can talk to us instead—"

Harry didn't say anything else, merely shrugged their hands off him and slipped past them towards the staircase. Niall called after him, but he ignored them all, his legs carrying him on its own towards his so-called father's office.

Without knocking, Harry pushed the door open and strode inside, jaw clenched as he scanned the room. Benedict was standing at the veranda, drinking from a glass of what Harry presumed was beer. His back was turned to Harry and he was staring out at the sky, thoughtful.

Harry stopped by the door, taking a moment to let his brain catch up with his actions. He didn't know why he went here, why he thought it was a good idea to speak to Benedict in his current state. But there was no turning back now, as Benedict looked over his shoulder and spotted the boy.

"Harry," Benedict greeted flatly, turning back to look outside, "how was your trip with David?"

"Fine."

"Hmm. What do you think of him?" Benedict said as though he was truly curious. As if Harry's opinion mattered at all.

"What do you think of him?" Harry shot back, voice cold.

Benedict took a moment to respond. "An essential person for our survival. An excellent knight, warrior, hunter. A fine, young man."

There was silence, and then, "You promised him something. Something in return for his sevices."

It wasn't even a question. Harry knew that it was true, it was a very Benedict-thing to do. He didn't know what his goal was in confronting the man like this, all he knew was that he needed to hear it from the man's mouth. He wanted to see if Benedict would show any kind of emotion, anything at all that could maybe entail that this was a hard choice for him too. That even just a little, just maybe, he cared, and this was indeed a sacrifice on his part.

"Ah, yes." Benedict said as he turned around, resting his back against the railing so that he was facing Harry now. "And I expect that you'll be more than happy to contribute to that."

Contribute? Harry could laugh.

"You mean to give my whole life away?" Harry seethed. 

"Now, no need to be dramatic." Benedict waved him off as he walked past him and into the office, going straight to his table.

"Dramatic?" Harry said in disbelief, trailing after the man. "I know you fucking despise me with all your heart—but this? I can't do this."

"I do not despise you." Benedict's voice was suddenly cold—enraged, even. "Check your tone, boy. I'm warning you."

"You fucking liar. You do despise me, and you want me gone, so you grabbed the opportunity. There could've been other ways and you know it." Harry's eyes burned with unshed tears, marching up in front of the man with quivering lips, "I've tried so hard all my life to give you what you want, to be who you want me to be even if it meant pushing what really mattered to me aside. I treat you with respect and I look up to you, fuck, I even love you! You're the only father I've ever known and it's this easy for you to throw me away?"

Harry was shaking after that, his loud voice echoing in the room. He bet the three other Alphas outside could hear their conversation loud and clear.

"I am the Head Commander and it is my responsibility to protect this city. A choice had to be made, and I made it." Benedict said calmly, not even looking at him.

Harry wanted to throw a tatrum right there and then. He wanted to continue yelling and cursing at this man, to rile him up and make him angry. He wanted to see if he was in fact human, if he had any emotions at all.

But he knew it would all be worthless. Benedict was the most stubborn, stoic person to ever exist. He would never, under any circumstance, give Harry the satisfaction of glimpsing whatever was beneath that facade of his that he'd had on ever since Harry first met him.

Harry's next words were merely a whisper. "And if I say no?"

"The demise of all our people due to the beasts will be on you. All on you." Benedict said, eyes finally flicking over to meet his.

They stared at each other for what felt like hours. Harry looked into those cold, dull eyes—and there was nothing. Not even a ghost or a shadow of any emotion, just indifference. Harry wished that Benedict would teach him how to be numb and uncaring, because he'd be needing it for the rest of his life.

"I love someone else." Harry said mindlessly, almost as though it wasn't even him that said it.

And maybe Harry was just imagining things, but he saw Benedict's face soften for just a fraction of a second, and then his mask was right back on.

"Love is a fantasy, boy. Something conceived by the brain to make sense of things and life. A lie." Benedict said, eyes suddenly distant as he stared at the top of his table.

Harry stood there for a few more seconds before walking to the door, eyes glossy and vision hazy. It was like he was in a daze, unaware of where he was going and what was happening.

"I feel sorry for you." Harry said, stopping at the door. "Just because you haven't felt something in so long, doesn't mean it's not real."

With that, Harry quietly shut the door behind him and walked aimlessly down the hall. At some point, Niall was at his side, Zayn and Liam worriedly trying to talk to him, but Harry wasn't sure. He was very, very tired, and Louis still wasn't here.

Eventually, he ended up back in his bed, staring up at the plain white ceiling, wondering again and again where it all possibly went wrong.


	27. Chapter 27

Louis meant it when he said he would save Harry from this.

Right now, he was standing outside a small cabin in the middle of the woods, a bag of essentials, cash, and car keys safely placed inside the house.

If it went down to having to make a run for it, he and Harry would have a place to stay for a few hours, days, or weeks—however long it would take them to find a new place to go to. A new, remote place they could start anew, where neither Benedict or David could ruin.

As he trudged down the path covered in dry leaves, he thought yes, he was selfish. He didn't care what the consequences might be—Harry just couldn't be mated to that man, or any man if Harry didn't consent. Benedict made it seem like the responsibility of sacrificing for the city fell strictly onto Harry' shoulders alone, a brilliant way to manipulate the boy in the future. But that wasn't true. Yes, David was owed for his services in the city, but Harry didn't have to be the one to pay it.

"You good to go?" Aaron emerged from behind one of the trees.

Louis smiled at his friend—who would've thought he and Aaron McCarter would be friends even outside the Fort?—and patted his shoulder.

"Yeah, everything's fixed." Louis said with a nod.

They hastily climbed into Aaron's car, eyes scanning the area for a moment, hoping that no one had spotted them. Aaron began to drive, the only noise being the crunching leaves and gravel beneath the vehicle's tires. Louis stared out the window and noticed how dark it already was. Harry was probably looking for him.

"Any news on the search?" Louis asked.

Aaron shook his head. "Impossible to find an unmated Omega around here, much less someone who could replace Harry. I don't think that plan's going to work."

Louis sighed exasperatedly. He'd hoped he could at least try to negotiate with David and offer him another Omega—a willing Omega, of course—but even he knew that that was a long shot. Louis knew David would never agree to that, like, why would he want to give Harry up for anyone less?

It was worth a shot, though. But it was unsuccessful. Louis rubbed his face with his palms. "How's it going at the Fort?"

Aaron shrugged. "David's men arrived. Two-hundred of them. Took over the place, basically. Even Commander Roy is having trouble keeping them under control. Goldies think they get to make whatever choices they want. They think David is their leader, not Roy."

"Goldies?"

"They're not really Troopers, so. They have these really shiny golden armors. Quite distracting and can cause eye strain when its metal reflects the sunlight, if I'm honest. Not a practical or smart uniform at all. But the Goldies don't want to give it up, rambling some shit about honor and whatnot. Pretty fucking annoying." Aaron said with a scoff.

"So basically, you Troopers, the real and true inhabitants of the Fort, are being kicked out?" 

"Basically." Aaron affirmed. "There's only like fifteen of us left, since many found it hard to get along with the Goldies. So, to stop the fighting and competition, Commander Roy just let the other Troopers leave if they wanted."

Louis sighed. "Well shit."

Aaron took a sharp turn, throwing Louis harshly into the door on his side. Louis just glared at him before finally putting on his seatbelt and wondering how this guy managed to get a driver's license.

"How's Harry? How'd he take the news?" Aaron asked.

Louis pressed his lips together. "He doesn't know yet."

"Well you should start telling him. A lot of things could backfire and you don't want Harry to feel like you've tricked him too." Aaron said.

"What? I didn't trick him."

"Well, you withheld the truth. That's something."

Louis gritted his teeth and reached for his phone, the urge to hear Harry's voice suddenly unbearable. He realized his phone was dead, so he plugged it in and let it charge for a bit. When it finally turned on, Louis' eyes widened at the number of missed calls and texts he had. He immediately called Harry, but the boy wouldn't didn't pick up. Cursing silently he dialed Zayn's number instead.

"Where the fuck are you?" Zayn growled from the other line.

"I'm on my way back. What happened?" Louis said worriedly.

"It's Harry." Zayn said softly. "He found out about David. Confronted Benedict and all that. He's a mess, he needs you."

"Shit." Louis wanted to punch himself. "Alright. I'll be there, just—tell him I'm on my way."

"Hurry."

Louis hung up and ran his fingers through his hair. "Aaron, can't you drive any faster?"

"I'm trying to not get us killed, Louis—"

"Just hurry!"

Aaron grumbled something he couldn't catch before stepping harder on the gas pedal. Louis just sat there, chest feeling heavy at the idea of Harry in tears. Brilliant timing, he thought. It just had to happen when Louis was away.

*

Louis was running as soon as he'd made it inside the mansion, taking two steps at a time as he climbed the stairs. He burst into Harry's room, eyes adjusting to the darkness.

"Harry?"

Louis felt for the light switch and flicked it open. There he was, huddled up beneath layers of comforters and blankets, his face a small, pale circle. Harry's eyes were closed, though Louis knew he was still awake.

"Baby," Louis said softly as he sat down beside his boy, "Haz, talk to me."

Harry slowly opened his eyes, his eyelashes still wet from tears. "Lou?"

"I'm here, love. I'm so sorry. But I'm here now." Louis said, helping Harry untangle himself from the blankets.

Once Harry was free, Louis nearly fell backwards as Harry jumped into his lap and wrapped himself around the Alpha. Louis quickly embraced him back, rubbing his hands up and down the boy's back.

"It's alright." Louis whispered into his ear, kissing the side of his head.

He felt Harry shake his head against him. And then, his small voice said, "What are we going to do?"

Louis closed his eyes, letting himself drown in Harry's scent for a moment. They'd been apart for merely a few hours and neither of them seemed to had taken it well. He let himself wallow in the boy's warmth and the softness of his skin and curls for a moment as he thought of what to say.

"We'll find a way out of this. The other lads are here to help. We won't let it happen." Louis said softly.

There was a beat of silence, and then, "Did you know, Lou?"

Louis winced. "I—well, yes. It was discussed during the meeting. I'm sorry I didn't tell you right away. I was just…I guess I wanted to find a solution first. I thought I would before you find out, but…yeah."

Harry pulled away, resting his head against Louis' chest. "Is there a way out, though?"

Louis caressed his cheek, eyes trailing over his watery eyes and raw-bitten lips. Harry looked so tired and drained it actually pained the Alpha. Harry deserved the best and only the best. With a sigh, he leaned in and pressed their lips together, loving the way Harry practically melted into his touch, always so soft and sweet. Louis licked along Harry's bottom lip, causing the boy to immediately open his mouth. And then Louis was lost in the heat and the passion. All he knew at that moment was that he loved Harry so much, that it actually physically pained him to think about it.

Louis pulled away, watching as Harry's eyes slowly opened and locked with his. Louis took his hands and gently squeezed, looking deeply into Harry's green, trusting eyes.

"Run away with me," Louis barely whispered, as though those words were sacred and only meant for them.

Harry looked at him, a small smile gracing his cherry lips. "I don't think my conscience could take that."

"I know you talked to Benedict and I know he made you feel like this is your burden to carry. Don't listen to him. If we disappear and they don't find us, there's nothing they can do. Benedict will find another way to negotiate with David to continue with his support and—"

"No," Harry whispered shakily, "David—he takes these things seriously. There's this thing he'd done to a small town in the eastern villages, one that promised him something they couldn't actually give. David pulled out all his forces, all his men. That town was attacked by raiders days after. Apparently, David himself led the raiders he was supposed to save the village from to the village."

Louis was speechless.

"David is an excellent warrior, but he's…unstable. Spontaneous. He takes it very seriously. He's not a hero. He works only for himself." Harry said.

"Where did you learn all this?" Louis asked.

"It's basic knowledge around the Fort, according to Niall and Zayn. One of his own men told them about David. That's why when Liam told them about Benedict's arrangement, they immediately came home." Harry said, absently tracing patterns on Louis' arm.

A part of Louis wanted to say fuck it and run away with Harry anyway and let Benedict deal with all the problems that would come after because that was what he deserved. But of course, Louis would be lying if he said David's support and service didn't impact their city positively. On his way to and back from the cabin with Aaron, they didn't encounter a single beast. Almost every few yards, there were lines of men in golden armour marching about, keeping an eye on the people and protecting those who needed it. Would Louis be evil if he chose Harry over all of that temporary sense of safety in the city? Should he be guilty that he's actually considering it?

When Louis looked down at Harry, the boy's eyelids were drooping. Louis smiled fondly before adjusting their position so that they were both laying on their back. Harry curled up at his side, using his chest as a pillow, like always. Louis wrapped his arms around the boy, caressing his skin anywhere he could.

"Let's get some sleep first," Louis said, threading his fingers through Harry's splayed curls, "I'll be right here. I promise."

Harry sleepily smiled up at him, pressing himself even closer to the Alpha. Louis watched as Harry closed his eyes and slowly drifted off.

When Louis thought Harry was already asleep, he left a kiss on the boy's forehead and pulled him closer, mindlessly mumbling a sincere "I love you."

Just as his eyes were about to close, he heard Harry's slury voice.

"I love you too, Lou." Harry said into his chest.

Louis fell asleep with a smile on his face that night despite everything.

*

The following day was perhaps the most awkward moment in their lives.

When Harry and Louis woke up, they immediately went down for breakfast. Liam, Niall, and Zayn soom joined them, and then food was being served on the table. They were having casual conversations, Louis running his hands up and down Harry's thigh to make the tensed boy relax. Harry just gave him a small smile and went back to playing with his otherwise untouched food.

"You have to eat something, babe." Louis leaned in towards the boy so that only he could hear.

Harry sighed. "I know. I'm sorry, I just don't have the appetite."

Louis took his hand and intertwined their fingers. "No need to apologize. Just take a bite, yeah?"

Harry forced himself to take a small bite of the bacon just to please Louis, which the Alpha appreciated very much. Louis didn't like the idea of Harry's health being compromised because of all this. He'd make sure that his baby was eating and staying hydrated all the time.

Louis' curiosity spiked up when the table suddenly went silent, even the clanking of silverware ceasing. When he looked towards the door, his vision darkened.

"Well, good morning lads." It was David—who wasn't in his stupid golden armour for the first time—strolling into the dining area, face all smiley and smug.

"The fuck are you doing here?" Louis hissed, unable to stop himself.

David wasn't fazed and simply sat down on Harry's other side. Louis clenched his jaw, while Harry just stared down at his lap, looking beyond uncomfortable. 

"Your father let me stay here last night, gave me a room and all. I assume my stay here would include free breakfast, so I came down here to get just that." David said nonchalantly, waving a maid over to bring his food.

From the other side of the table, Liam, Zayn, and Niall looked quite murderous as well. David must've felt their seering stares because he suddenly looked up towards them, but instead of being remotely intimidated, he just smiled at them as though they were old pals.

"My men tell me that your Fort is now up and running again. No more attacks or ambushes from the beasts that your Troopers encountered a few weeks ago. If I'm not mistaken, they told me that there have been certain...disappearances of Troopers, actually. You and your old friends seem to have fled the Fort when my men arrived. Why's that?" David said, taking a sip from his mug.

Zayn laughed sarcastically. "I guess you left out the part about how completely intolerable and arrogant your men are. Causing fights and changing things around there. It's enough to make any Trooper want to leave that place for a bit."

David hummed thoughtfully. "Well, the changes are for the better. My men certainly did a better job there than the Troopers who'd been running that place for decades but still managed to mess up."

"Well, that's your opinion." Niall said, voice cold. "And we don't give a fuck about it."

David chuckled at that, shaking his head. Liam gave them a look, silently telling them to cut it off and just ignore him, always the diplomat. Louis didn't even realize his hands were balled into fists until Harry took it into his own hands and caressed it to relax him. Immediately, Louis did relax to his touch, their eyes meeting and filling with warmth.

"Harry," David suddenly said, causing Louis to glare at him, "why don't you accompany me on my walk around the garden, perhaps even the park later after we eat?"

Although he tried to make it seem like it, it most definitely was a command and not a request. Harry's eyes widened, mouth opening and closing as he tried to come up with a response. Louis noticed and opened his mouth to chime in when Liam beat him to it.

"Of course Harry will." Liam said, eyes locking with the Omega's.

Harry furrowed his eyebrows but reluctantly nodded, "Y-yeah. Sure."

Louis' death glare was now directed at Liam. What the fuck was he on about? Liam just gave him a 'just go with it' look before returning to his food.

And so, as soon as David had finished eating, he stood up and offered a hand to Harry. Harry glanced at Louis quickly, face guilty and very much uncomfortable. And as much as Louis wanted to knock David out and bring Harry upstairs with him instead, he forced a small nod to reassure Harry. The boy then stood up completely and took David's hand.

"Thank you for the wonderful breakfast, gentleman. I'm afraid me and my Omega must be on our way now." David said, and then he led Harry out of the room.

Louis' blood boiled at that. 'Me and my Omega'. What utter bullshit. His hands were clenched once again, breath shallow as he tried to calm down and control himself from running after the two and fulfilling his fantasies of beating David to pulp.

"Louis—" Liam began.

"Don't." Louis snapped, holding his hand. "Just don't."

With that, he stormed out of the room with rageful eyes, stomach twisting at the thought of Harry with another man, his Harry—always sweet, loving, and delicate, paired with that exuse of an Alpha.

Harry was his Omega, not David's. His and only his.


	28. Chapter 28

Harry had never been so bored in his life. Walking through the garden with David yapping at his side about who-knows-what was enough to make Harry want to pull his hair out. At first, he'd tried listening, even engaged in the conversation and asked a few questions here and there, but eventually he zoned out and merely pretended to be listening.

Harry wondered how the man's head hadn't exploded just yet considering how awfully big it was. He talked all about his achievements and his glorious quests, about slaying beasts and armies, about receiving so much wealth and power he gained popularity all over the world. If he thought this would somehow make Harry like him in the very least, then he was absolutely mistaken. It only made the boy realize just how self-centered, narcissistic, and just plainly haughty this man was.

"And now, you are to be the most popular Omega in the world." David said, stopping on his tracks and turning to him. 

Harry internally grimaced but forced a smile. "Uh, yeah."

David's eyes raked over his features for a moment before sighing and saying, "I'm sorry about yesterday at the creek. We started off on the wrong foot and I never meant to upset you."

"It was…a lot to take in. It's a normal reaction, so." Harry trailed off, not quite sure where he wanted this conversation to go.

"Understandable, of course. But, do tell me, is it really that bad to be paired with me? I mean, most Omegas will be celebrating." David said, simultaneously rubbing his hands up and down Harry's sides. 

Harry shivered uncontrollably out of disgust, because only Louis was supposed to touch him like that. "Well, this Omega in particular doesn't want to get paired just yet. My life has barely begun and I'm already being tied down."

Harry couldn't help the hostility that took over his voice. David looked quite disappointed in his answer, but Harry couldn't find it in himself to care.

"Again, most Omegas are soft and timid and simply obedient, but you—you're quite hard-headed and stubborn, do you know that?" David said.

"You're one to talk." Harry muttered, his eyes on the ground.

He gasped when David suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him forward so that he collided into the man's hard chest. Another hand not so gently grabbed his face and tilted it upwards so that he was looking up at David's dark, blazing eyes.

"Listen closely, pretty little thing. I don't care if you think you're more than an Alpha's property, or if you think your opinion matters the slightest to me. I am to be your mate, so you'll fucking respect me and obey me. I don't like your attitude or your tone and you're lucky I'm not showing you just how much it pisses me off right now. At the end of it all, you're going to come home with me to Dilania, and you'll plaster a smile on that face of yours whether it's real or not." David whispered feverishly, voice husky and cold.

Harry swallowed hard, breath coming out shakily. Instead of showing the fear he felt, he ignored his thumping chest and tore his arm away from the man's grasp, glaring up at him.

"Don't fucking touch me again." Harry seethed.

David chuckled humourlessly. "Fine. Keep your tough act up, you'll only make it harder for yourself."

Harry was trembling, but he kept his hands behind him to hide it. There was something about David that just made him a lot more terrifying than Harry would admit. It was different from Benedict's indifferent, icy cold rage. There was a certain depth to David's words, his dark eyes like pits. Harry was afraid, but that wouldn't stop him from standing up to the man.

When Harry just stood there with glaring eyes, David suddenly smiled, all signs of anger or dominance completely gone like a switch was turned. David took a step forward and leaned in, suddenly pressing his lips roughly against Harry's. The boy's eyes widened at the unexpected kiss, but before he could shove the man off him, David was already taking a step back with a satisfied look on his face.

"Sweet." David said, licking his lips and giving Harry's body a once over before spinning on his heels and walking away.

Harry shivered, wiping his lips quite uselessly, still feeling that man's mouth on his. Harry was afraid and disgusted, but there was no point in dwelling on that now. Taking a deep breath, he walked to the fountain and slumped down on it, wanting to cry but feeling quite drained of tears at the same time. He wondered what Louis would say if he learned about the kiss. He wondered if he'd ever get out of this hellhole.

He let his eyes wander across the green grass, frowning when he realized the herbs and flowers he'd planted were withering already. He stood up to inspect them when something caught his sight out of the corner of his eye, just by the foot of the fountain.

His eyes widened. Sprounting from the soil was a single, barely-grown flower. It looked like a rose, but its petals were larger and slightly translucent. Unlike roses, this one didn't have a thorn-filled stem. Harry crouched down beside it with a gaping mouth, eyes wide in disbelief.

This was the very plant he'd been searching for—the Lilian he needed to create the cure.

Harry never believed in miracles, but what were the odds that the exact plant he needed just happened to grow on his garden? His hand crept along the damp soil when something flickered just beneath the grass. He frowned when he felt something cold and thin against his fingers. He parted the leaves and the loose soil, gasping when he realized what it was.

It was a gold necklace chain—a very familiar one at that. The very chain that was attached to the seashell pendant—one that he believed belonged to his mother. It was the necklace he'd lost in this very place with Louis a few days ago, one that had miraculously caused a Lilian flower to bloom.

Perhaps, the seashell pendant contained some seeds. But how? Why? So many questions were whirling in Harry's mind, but at the same time he was feeling so grateful and beyond the moon. 

With a smile now adorning his face, Harry found a shovel and a cermaic pot, heart racing at the thought that all his hard work was finally paying off.

*

It was hours later when Harry finally emerged from his room. His hair was disheveled, eyes tired and skin sweaty. He'd been working on the cure after bringing up the potted Lilian plant subtly into the mansion. Louis had checked on him several times, and he felt guilty everytime he turned the Alpha away, claiming that he was almost done and would join him in Louis' room soon.

Exactly five hours later was when Harry finally crept up to Louis' room, timidly knocking before pushing the door open and peeking into the darkness. The only light inside the room was the milky moonlight pouring in from the slightly open window. He could see the outline of Louis' body on the bed wrapped up in a duvet. Quietly, Harry tiptoed to the bed and slid in beneath the duvet, sidling into Louis' side.

Thinking the Alpha was deep asleep already, Harry pecked his lips and wrapped his arms around his torso, pressing his face into his neck and inhaling the scent he'd missed. 

But just as Harry was drifting off, Louis' husky voice said, "Baby?"

Immediately, Harry's eyes snapped open and looked up at the Alpha, showing off his dimpled smile, "Hi."

Louis shifted so that he was sitting up with his back against the headboard, Harry's head falling to his lap. "How are you?"

"Just fine. I've got the plant, Lou. The seeds probably came from the necklace I got from my mother's stuff—who would've thought? It makes me wonder about her." Harry began, voice soft as he played with Louis' fingers, "I'm sorry I shut you out for like, the entire day. I just—I might be onto something. Just a bit more patience and time, I think I might actually pull it off. Beasts won't need to be killed. They could simply be cured."

Louis nodded, a small smile creeping up into his face, "Which means this city won't be needing David's help anymore. Therefore, you won't need to be his mate."

Harry looked up to see Louis gazing down on him, expecting to see a very happy expression on his face. Instead, Louis looked conflicted as he frowned, playing with Harry's curls.

"Shouldn't we be happy?" Harry asked tentatively, reaching out to stroke Louis' stubble-covered jaw. "What's wrong?"

When Louis remained silent, Harry continued, "Is it because you doubt I could do it? I mean, I might need some help but it doesn't mean I can't do it—"

"That's not it," Louis cut in softly, "I know you can do it, Harry. I just—all this time, I was so focused on trying to save you from all this, I didn't even consider that maybe the reason why I couldn't get anywhere was because I'm not your hero. I'm just, delusional. I'm sorry. You're the strongest, bravest, and most intelligent person I've ever met. I'm sorry I never considered asking you what you might think would be a good solution to this. I just—I don't know, I want to be the one to protect you and provide you with everything you'll ever need. I've been so selfish that I forgot to remind myself just how perfect you are—just how you can save yourself."

Harry stared up at him, mouth slightly parted in surprise. He didn't know Louis felt this way. It crushed his heart how Louis had spoken with such insecurity and vulnerability. Harry scrambled to crawl onto his lap before connecting their lips in a passionate kiss. Maybe he couldn't accurately put into words just how much he loved Louis and how much he wanted to take all his doubts away, but perhaps he could make him feel it.

Louis was quick to respond, his hands slipping beneath Harry's shirt and roaming his back. Harry wrapped his arms around his Alpha's neck, whimpering when Louis intruded his mouth with his tongue. It was all heat, red, desire, and passion—Harry felt like he could melt in his heat all night. Louis lived off of the noises coming out of the boy's mouth, swallowing it greedily. God, Louis couldn't explain just how out of the world he felt whenever he was with Harry. He would never give him up for anything.

Harry finally pulled away, lips raw and red, cheeks flushed, and eyes a shade darker than usual. Louis groaned at the sight—goodness, this boy was making a particular part of him very uncomfortable.

"You are my hero, Lou. Without you, I would've already given up. I love you, and I owe you my entire life. I love you so much," Harry said, breathing heavily.

Louis felt tears well up in his eyes. "And I love you more."

Harry pressed himself closer, burying his face in the Alpha's neck. Then, he whispered, "I want to show you how much you mean to me,"

Louis' breath hitched, unable to say anything as he felt Harry softly rock against him on his lap. Louis' thoughts were slowly being overrode by his Alpha instincts which told him to throw Harry on his back at this very moment and put his throbbing member to use.

"Y-yeah?" Was all Louis managed to stutter out.

"Will you let me? Please?" Harry whispered into his ear, biting his earlobe.

Louis groaned. Everything was burning hot, and his senses were overwhelmed with everything that was Harry. Of course, Louis wanted nothing more than to make love to the person he loved the most in the world. But at the same time, he wondered if this was the right time.

"You don't have to, don't feel like you have to," Louis breathed out, getting harder and harder by the second as Harry continued to grind on his crotch.

Harry was irresistible and could surely make any Alpha lose control. But Louis wanted to save their first time together for when everything was fixed, when he could finally mark Harry and bind their souls as one.

"I'll make you feel good, baby." Louis said huskily before flipping them over so that he was hovering over a very flustered and wide-eyed Harry.

"We're taking it slow, yeah?" Louis said as he began to palm Harry's member beneath his shorts.

Harry nodded distractedly, letting out a strangled moan as Louis pulled his tiny yellow shorts off and tossed it to the side. Harry looked up at him with dark but nervous eyes, lower lip trapped between his teeth. Louis leaned down to kiss his red lips, running his hands down Harry's arms to calm him down.

"You okay?" Louis asked.

Harry nodded once again, curls bouncing. With that, Louis removed Harry's briefs as well and wrapped his hand around the boy's aching girth. Harry threw his head back with a delicious moan, exposing his milky white neck. Louis kissed along his jaw and down his neck and collarbone as he continued to pump him.

"L-lou," Harry whined, the sound going straight to Louis' dìck. "So good,"

Louis leaned up to kiss his lips, swallowing all the little moans and whimpers the boy was releasing. Good gods, Harry was so, pleasingly responsive. Louis felt like he could come just from it.

Louis continued to pump him at a rhythm, making Harry absolutely a helpless and trembling mess beneath him. Louis felt himself come closer to the edge, so he gave Harry a particularly hot, dirty kiss before whispering into his ear.

"Come for me, baby."

At that, Harry released with a strangled moan. Louis muffled the sound with his own mouth because dear goodness was Harry loud. Hands still covered with Harry's white streaks, Louis began pumping himself to the sight before him—a very fucked-out, sweaty Harry who was looking back at him through his curls, lips still raw and abused. 

Harry weakly reached out to remove Louis' hand, replacing it with his own. It didn't take more than a few more pumps before Louis was coming, covering Harry's chest with white streaks.

"Baby," Louis gasped as he collapsed on top of him, feeling Harry's chest rise and fall beneath him.

"Mmm," Harry said, eyelids drooping closed, feeling all the day's exhaustion and tonight's pleasure take over him.

"Get some rest," Louis said as he sat up, kissing Harry on the mouth before disappearing.

Harry was already half asleep when Louis returned with a wet cloth and began wiping his stomach. Soon, he felt the Alpha join him, wrapping his arms securely around Harry's pliant body. Harry pressed his face to Louis' bare chest, slowly being lulled to sleep by the constant and comforting thrum of Louis' heartbeat.


	29. Chapter 29

Following the events of the previous night, the couple became even more affectionate with each other. Harry didn't care that he was clingy and was practically in Louis' lap 24/7. Louis loved how Harry got a bit shy, cheeks flushing pink when Louis teased him a bit. 

"You okay, love?" Louis said quietly the following morning, peeking over Harry's shoulder as the Omega prepared their breakfast.

"Yeah. More than okay." Harry said, winking cheekily at him.

Having to keep his hands off of Harry was about the hardest thing he'd had to do in his life. They'd discussed it earlier, though, that it would be safest in the meantime to be careful. People knowing about their relationship (aside from the boys) wouldn't really help anything. It would just cause more problems, especially if David or Benedict were the ones to find out.

Reluctantly, Louis stepped away from Harry and stood at his side at a reasonable distance. He simply watched and kept the boy company until he finished cooking breakfast. Several maids helped them bring the food to the table where Niall, Zayn, and Liam were already seated. 

Louis immediately noticed that the three looked anxious. While Harry returned into the kitchen to retrieve more plates, Louis sat down beside Liam with a frown.

"Well? What is it?" Louis pushed.

Liam rubbed his face exasperatedly. "I tried talking to Benedict about Harry. As expected, he said no. But, I guess I pissed him off because I kept nagging and now he wants us fo join David and his men for their mission later so that we could do something productive, as he'd said."

Louis groaned. "What mission? Where?"

"At the Rock forest." Zayn chimed in, "David plans to finish his promise to Benedict and be off as soon as possible."

The Rock forest was one of the most beast-populated areas in their city. Even the Fort's Troopers struggled to deal with the beasts there, because they were often outnumbered. Basically, it was a suicide mission.

"What is his plan, exactly? To just send men in there?" Louis said in frustration.

"Dunno." Niall said with a shrug.

Harry returned with a plate of toasts and placed it on the table before sitting down next to Louis, immediately noticing his distraught expression.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked softly, rubbing his forearm.

"We've been asked to join David and his men for a mission at the Rock forest. But I can stay behind and—" Louis began.

"Don't be silly," Harry cut in, "If you're thinking of staying back just for me, then don't even think about it. Plus, you know how Benedict is. He won't take no for an answer."

Louis sighed in defeat. "What will you do here, then?"

Harry shrugged with a small smile, "I've got to work on the drug, as you know. I'll be fine."

Louis nodded reluctantly, taking Harry's hand beneath the table and squeezing. "Call me immediately if something comes up, and I'll be on my way back."

Harry shook his head with a small chuckle. "You're cute when you're protective."

Louis looked affronted. "I am anything but cute, Harry!"

Harry burst out laughing, then covered his mouth with both hands to muffle it. "Sorry."

The three other Alphas were watching them in amusement, eyebrows raised. Louis just flipped them off before turning back to the table and digging into the delicious breakfast Harry had prepared.

Hours later, Louis, Liam, Niall, and Zayn were dressed and ready for the assignment, standing outside by the gates for their ride. Apparently, Benedict and David were already at the Rock forest, so none of them had to endure either of the man's presence.

Harry was latching onto Louis' side like a koala, nuzzling his face into Louis' neck. The Alpha laughed, wrapping his arms around Harry's waist and pulling him forward so he could wrap him in a proper hug.

"Be careful," Harry mumbled, looking up at him with those emerald eyes Louis' world now revolved around.

"Of course. We'll be back, I promise." Louis said, holding Harry's face between his palms and kissing him sweetly.

"I love you," Harry murmured, arms still wrapped around his neck.

"I love you more." Louis said, kissing the tip of his nose.

"Oi! Love birds, time to go." Niall called out with a knowing smirk on his face.

Harry flushed a deep red before pulling away and giving a small wave, lower lip trapped between his teeth. Louis smiled and gave him one last kiss on the temple before trailing after the other boys towards the car that had just arrived.

Harry stood by and waved as the car drove past him and beyond the gate, the four Alphas all waving goodbye as well before they disappeared from his line of sight. With a sigh, Harry returned inside and went straight to his bedroom, once again burying his nose in a new book. He sat down on the foot of his bed, eyeing the vials of venom hidden inside a wooden crate, as well as the Lilian plant which he'd positioned by the window so that it could get some sunlight. He still needed to give it a bit more time to grow, and then hopefully he could collect seeds from its pods so he could replant and create more resources for the ingredients he'd need for the potion he was making.

Despite this, though, he doubted he could actually brew the drug himself without the help and assistance of a healer who was more experienced in this area. Though Harry had probably read all the medicine-brewing-related books here in the library and even in the archives back at the Fort, he wouldn't know exactly how to execute his knowledge.

His mind immediately wandered to Emily, the healer he'd become close friends with a few years ago. She was definitely the most talented one he'd met, and he saw her as a mother as well. If only she were here to help him…

Without over thinking his spontaneous thoughts, Harry left his room and found himself in front of Benedict's office. Louis and the others told him that Benedict was already in the forest, but just to be sure, he knocked on the door a couple of times before confirming that it was in fact empty. 

Harry pushed the door open and quietly stepped inside. He decided against opening the lights and instead relied on the sun rays streaming from the wide floor-to-ceiling windows. He immediately went to work, looking through documents and folders, wondering where Benedict could possibly put the files concerning his staff and maids. Knowing the man, Benedict didn't get rid of records even if Emily had been fired from working at their mansion years ago.

Harry wasn't sure how much time had passed, but his back was starting to ache from how he was slouched as he combed through file after file. Eventually, though, he'd moved to the third wooden shelf pressed up against the wall, looking through possibly the twentieth box when he found exactly what he was looking for—Emily Patteron's documents.

Harry took a picture of her contact information and address before returning everything where it belonged and practically running out of the room in nervousness.

*

Louis wondered when exactly he'd become such a pathetic sap. It had probably been an hour since they'd left the mansion, and already, Louis was missing a certain boy with chocolate curls and shimmering green eyes. He kept on checking his phone every five minutes, waiting for a response from Harry after sending him a message (okay, maybe several) asking how he was. Was that too clingy? Was Harry getting annoyed now? Was he ignoring him on purpose, or did something bad happened to him and he couldn't contact Louis?

"Mate, stop frowning. You're going to have wrinkles real early. Do you want to look like Benedict?" Zayn said beside him, poking his arm.

Louis sighed. "Well, I can't help it. I don't particularly want to be here anyway, and Harry doesn't want to talk to me."

Niall chuckled. "Your boy's probably sleeping or something, stop over thinking. And if you're worried about his safety and well-being, let me just remind you that there guards all over the place. He's fine."

"Yeah, whatever." Louis grumbled childishly.

The car finally came to a halt, nearly throwing Louis into the dashboard. With an annoyed grunt, Louis was the first to step out of the vehicle. He could see where the tents were set up, where Benedict and David were probably waiting right now. He led the way, looking over his shoulder from time to time to make sure that Niall, Zayn, and Liam were following. He also noticed how there were lines of 'Goldies'—as most people referred to David's men—along the outskirts of the forest, though it was a lot less in quantity that Louis expected to be present.

Once they'd made it inside the largest tent, he immediately spotted David sitting behind a plastic table as he spoke to one of his uninformed men. Once he saw them, David waved them over with an easy smile—one Louis knew was all for show.

"Well, I'm beyond glad that the Winter boys have come to join us. I think it's only fitting that you would be here for the first mission considering it was your father who'd made all this possible." David said as he stood up.

"Uh, where is Benedict?" Liam asked, scanning the place.

"Unfortunately, he had other matters to handle. He left me in charge and trusts my judgement." David said airily, gesturing around him, "I've sent out all the orders, and we should be good to go in minutes. You, Winter boys, will be by my side during the mission."

"At your side? Doing what?" Louis said suspiciously.

David only flashed them a toothy grin before saying, "You're only here to watch our victory, lads."

*

Despite the number of guards posted inside and outside the mansion, Harry was able to successfully sneak out. Having stayed there for years, he'd gotten familiar with the time a certain guard made rounds and the area they cover. All it took was a bit of patience and stealth abilities (which was quite a miracle for Harry since he had about the gracefulness of a clumsy giraffe) and quick thinking for him to finally reach the gate and slip out.

He pulled his hood down to cover more of his face and hiked his backpack up, wondering if he looked all too conspicuous. He'd basically bathed in a bottle of perfume at home to cover-up his Omega scent and even carried the bottle with him, not risking it wearing off again and being unprepared.

Harry hailed a taxi and climbed in hastily, reading the address he'd taken a photo of. Only then did he notice Louis' texts asking how he was. Harry couldn't help but smile to himself at how protective Louis was. As soon as it came, though, the smile was immediately wiped off of his face. Louis was going to absolutely freak if he found out what Harry was doing right now.

Biting his lip, Harry dialed his Alpha's number, bouncing his leg as it rang. After four rings, Louis picked up saying, "Baby?"

"Hi," Harry mumbled shyly, wondering it the driver was listening, "I just saw your texts, I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Louis sounded relieved, "what are you up to?"

"Uh, just here. Chilling." Harry lied, wanting to slap himself for being such a bad liar. He didn't really want to lie to Louis of all people, but he was doing them both a favor by this one little white lie.

"Oh, you mean working on your project?" Louis said.

"Yeah, yeah. That's what I meant." Harry said quickly, nodding as though Louis could see him. "Um, where are you guys? What's going on there?"

He heard Louis sigh. "We're already at the Rock forest, everything's set up. David doesn't want to tell us the details about the mission at all. Apparently, we're just here to observe and watch. Absolute bullshit." 

"Well, at least you'll be away from all the fighting and killing and stuff…" Harry trailed off, frowning when he realized more beasts would be slayed tonight, more creatures he'd fail to save just because he was too slow with his potion.

"Yeah," Louis said softly, and as though reading his mind said, "don't feel bad, babe. Don't over think, it's alright."

Harry nodded, "Right. Well, I guess I'll—"

Harry nearly jumped out of his seat when a loud horn sounded outside, followed by loud yelling and profanities thrown between drivers. Even the driver of his taxi began babbling about pedestrians not knowing how to cross the street without getting themselves killed.

"Harry? What was that?" Louis' concerned voice brought him back, "Haz? Where are you?"

Harry internally groaned. Well, there went his little white lie. "I'm, uh, in a taxi…"

"What? Why? With who? Harry, you—"

"This is why I didn't want to tell you," Harry cut in, annoyance evident in his voice. "I'll be fine, Lou. I'm just going to an address somewhere in Blue Fair, I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Why? Harry, what are you up to?" Louis sounded like he was shuffling around.

"Just—I'll tell you later, Louis. Stop worrying please," Harry said, voice soft this time. 

"Harry—"

"Bye, Lou. I love you." Harry said before hanging up.

He loved Louis with all his heart, but he knew the Alpha—he would only persuade Harry to go back home and Harry needed to get this done.

He ignored the constant ringing of his phone and looked out the window, watching the buildings pass by in a blur of colors as the sky gradually grew darker. 

Half an hour later, Harry arrived at his destination. Blue Fair was a small town nearby a forest, houses made from wood and occasionally bricks, dotting around the open green field. It was almost like a province compared to the modern city surrounding it. He walked with his head down, trying to ignore the curious stares people were giving him as he walked by. He stared at the address on his phone, wondering which one of these houses it might be.

After walking around for a good few minutes, Harry found himself in a busier part of the town where numerous stalls were set up—the market. He decided that he should just ask for help when something collided into his back, causing Harry to stumble forward and fall to his knees.

"I'm so sorry!" A voice shrieked, "These baskets are just so heavy, I'm sorry!"

Harry was yanked onto his feet, coming face to face with a blonde girl probably around his age. She kept on fumbling and fussing over Harry, asking if he was hurt of had a scar.

"It's alright," Harry said sheepishly, keeping her hands from touching his knees, "I wasn't looking where I was going."

The girl looked relieved that he didn't get mad. "I'm really sorry."

Harry watched as the girl crouched down to pick up her fallen baskets, fruits, vegetables, and bottles scattered on the ground. Harry immediately went to help her put it back in respective baskets. He frowned, though, realizing there were four overflowing baskets—no wonder she toppled over.

"I'll help you with these," Harry said, picking up two of the baskets.

"Oh! You don't need to," the girl protested, but Harry just gave her a dimpled smile.

"Really. Um, lead the way." Harry said, lifting the baskets.

The girl smiled and began walking, "Thank you. I'm Perrie, by the way."

They chatted randomly on the way back, Harry saying he was here to visit an old friend. Perrie promised him that she'd help him look for whoever he was looking for as soon as they brought the baskets to her house.

They arrived at a white brick house with a large garden in front. Harry's eyes widened in awe with all the plants there—mostly herbs and rare plants used for medicinal purposes as well. Harry was just about to ask Perrie about her garden when the front door opened, revealing a face Harry hadn't seen in years, but one he was more than happy to see again.


	30. Chapter 30

Harry gaped as he stared at Emily—the woman now had graying hair at the roots, face a lot more wrinkled than he remembered. The woman gasped as recognition flashed over her face, and then the next thing he knew, he was being pulled into a bone-crushing hug.

"Harry! It's been so long!" She said in disbelief, holding him by his shoulders as she examined his equally stunned face, her eyes glossy with unshed tears.

"You know each other?" Perrie chimed in, looking between them curiously.

Emily turned to the girl and said, "This is Harry—the boy I've told you so much about."

Perrie's eyes widened, and Harry felt quite awkward standing there with two women gaping at him. He cleared his throat and turned to Emily, "Well—I, uh, really did come all this way to see you."

Emily smiled warmly at that, ushering them both inside. The place was cozy and for some reason felt quite familiar to Harry. He sat down on the comfortable couch, which instead of a TV was placed right in front of a large window. 

"You've grown to be such a beautiful boy," Emily appeared at his side, carrying two mugs of steaming tea.

Harry gladly accepted it, smiling sheepishly at the compliment, "Thank you, Emily. You seem to be quite happy here too."

The woman nodded, waving Perrie over and saying, "This is my daughter, by the way. She knows you through me, I've told her about my years of working at the Winter mansion."

"What a coincidence," Perrie mused, "we literally bumped into each other, I didn't know he was looking for you."

Harry nodded with a smile, "Thank you for bringing me here, still."

Perrie looked satisfied with herself. "You're welcome sweets!"

Emily reached out and took his hand—a gesture he hadn't realized until now he missed so much. The touch of a mother. "What brings you all the way here, darling?"

Harry looked down at his lap, feeling a bit shy. "I, uh, wanted to ask for your help."

"Help for what?" She asked softly.

Reluctantly, he reached into his backpack and pulled out his journal—one he'd been working on for months. He handed it to Emily who curiously flicked through the pages, eyes widening as she understood what Harry was saying.

"You…you made this, Harry?" Emily asked.

Harry nodded. "It's all theoretical and it could all be wrong, but that's why I need your help. You're the greatest healer I know, and I don't think I'd be able to brew it without you."

Emily suddenly brought a hand up to her mouth, eyes watery. Harry gasped silently, looking at Perrie in question, but the girl looked as surprised as he was.

"Is—is everything alright?" Harry asked tentatively.

"You remind me of her." She said, smiling despite her tears, "No—you are just like her."

"Like who?"

"Anne. Your mother."

Harry was speechless for a moment. "Y-you knew her?"

Emily nodded. "I knew her when I worked in the Winter mansion. She was like a sister to me."

Harry frowned. "Why was she at the mansion?"

From what Harry knew, Benedict had found him in a small town and took him in when Harry's mother died and had no one to look after him, just like what happened with Louis and the others. He was more or less a toddler when he was brought to the mansion, so it would've been impossible that Anne had somehow gotten to the mansion to meet Emily before her death.

"She was Benedict's mate," Emily said in confusion, "she'd lived there long before I got hired, even."

That new piece of information hit him like a truck. "What? Mate?"

Emily nodded reluctantly. "I was there when she gave birth to you. Your parents were very happy that night, Harry. I would never forget it."

Harry felt like his head was spinning. This was all wrong. He was not born in the mansion—and how on earth were Anne and Benedict supposed to be mates?

"I think you're wrong," Harry tried, "that would mean Benedict's my biological father. That's—that can't be."

Realization dawned on Emily's face, replaced by shock and sympathy. "He never told you, did he?"

Harry shook his head, tears prickling his eyes. If Benedict was his real father—why did he hate him so much? How could you loathe your own child so much that you couldn't stand the sight of them? All his life, Benedict was never even considered a father—just a mentor or a guardian. A father was the last thing he would be.

"Please tell me what you know," Harry pleaded, eyes filled with confusion and shock.

Emily looked hesitant at first, but after a particularly hard nudge from Perrie, she cleared her throat, "Well, when you were born, Anne passed away the following day. Benedict—he didn't take the news so well. It came to the point that he asked me to take you home with me for the meantime, so this is where I raised you. I thought he wouldn't come back for you, but he did a few years later. That's when I returned to the mansion with you, and when Benedict saw that you relied on me too much, I had to leave. He said I made you weak."

Harry squeezed his eyes shut. Of course. Now it all made sense. That was why Benedict always reminded them how even newly born babies were murderers, their first victims being their very own mothers. Of course Benedict couldn't stand the sight of him—he reminded him of Anne. Of course Benedict hated his existence—it had cost Anne's. Whatever reason Benedict had decided to take him in again, Harry would never know. But he did know that he'd unknowingly committed the biggest crime against Benedict, one he would never be fully punished for—for killing the love of his life, his mate.

Perhaps Benedict took him back into the mansion just to make him suffer all this time. Just to get some sort of satisfaction out of the fact that he wasn't the only one suffering because of Anne's death. That somehow, the pain of losing the person dearest to you would be lessened by punishing the one responsible for it. Perhaps Harry did deserve all the pain Benedict had put him through. 

Harry didn't realize he was crying until both Perrie and Emily were knelt down in front of him, whispering words of comfort and caressing his arm. Emily pulled him into a hug—a hug filled with so much motherly love and care, the type he'd forgotten throughout his years with Benedict.

"I'm sorry," Harry hiccuped, sobbing into Emily's shoulder, "I'm s-so sorry,"

Emily shushed him and told him there was nothing to apologize for, but Harry did it anyway. He apologized to Anne—a no-doubt beautiful and bright Omega, a life he'd taken. He was apologizing to Benedict as well, for taking his world way and causing him unimaginable pain. 

"Did you know," Emily began softy, her hands running up and down Harry's back, "Anne used to cry to me like this too. I'd hold her through it, wishing I could take away the pain, the same way I wish I could do to you now. You're both such amazing people, Harry, it almost feels like it's Anne in my arms. You are both such lovely people—you deserve nothing but happiness."

Harry continued crying, chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath, "B-but I did this to them! I ruined their lives when I c-came! I shouldn't have come!"

Emily pulled away to look him straight in the eye. "Trust me when I say that Anne was the happiest she'd ever been in her life when you came into this world. She wouldn't give you up for the world. Believe it or not, Benedict cried in happiness when he carried you for the first time. You deserve to be here, Harry. There's a reason you're here, and we're all thankful for that."

Harry didn't say anything for a moment, though his sobs had now been reduced to small hiccups and whimpers. "I'm sorry. I d-don't know what to do."

Emily brushed a curl away from his face and tucked it behind his ear. "Do you know what Anne would've wanted? She would've wanted you to successfully make that potion. She would've wanted you to finish what she'd begun."

"What?" Harry breathed.

Emily took his hands in hers. "Anne had the exact same project. She worked on a cure for the beasts Harry, it was her goal in life. I helped her out too. Benedict didn't want her to continue this, saying that it was too dangerous and risky. They had a huge fight and Benedict destroyed all her work—her journals, her research, the plants—everything. It was the first time Anne came crying to me."

Harry didn't know if his brain could take in anymore information. Everything seemed surreal—he didn't know what was true from what was not anymore. He'd learned so much more on his visit today than he'd anticipated. But the thought of Anne having had gone through the same thing, having had read through the same books, and having had set the same goal he had now sparked something deep inside him. It was like he could feel Anne beside him, telling him that he was doing great, and that she believed in him.

"The seashell necklace," Harry mused with a scratchy voice, "it had the seeds of a Lilian flower. It was like she knew I would pick up where she left off."

Emily smiled. "It's because she believed in you, Harry, and for what it's worth, I believe in you too."

"Count me in," Perrie said, throwing her arms over Harry's shoulders.

Harry smiled despite his tears, letting it all sink in. He felt so at home here, and now he understood why. Emily was practically his mother, and in another universe, Perrie would be his sister. The possibility made Harry's skin tingle—not sure if he would've rather had this simple, small, but happy family than to have grown up with Benedict and the four Alphas. 

"I have an idea," Perrie said perkily, standing up and pulling Harry along with her, "let's take a walk outside. I bet you need some fresh air."

Harry nodded gratefully. Before they left, though, they turned to Emily and waved goodbye.

"We'll be back in a few hours Mom, don't worry." Perrie assured her.

Emily rolled her eyes fondly, eventually locking with Harry's. "Take care."

They walked through the town, Perrie talking non-stop and filling him up with all the neighborhood's gossip. Harry laughed and felt so comfortable, it was almost like this was where he was supposed to be all this time.

After getting tired, they sat down on one of the benches in front of an old church. Harry curiously eyed the forest in front of them.

"Is it safe there? Aren't any beasts attacking you?" Harry asked, pointing at the forest.

Perrie shrugged. "Soldiers make patrols all the time, especially around here since the Rock forest is rumored to house a lot of beasts. As long as we don't actually go deep inside, we're safe here with the protection of the soldiers."

Harry frowned. "This is the Rock forest?"

Perrie nodded, then began talking about one of their neighbors who apparently had three mistresses.

Harry wanted to call Louis and tell him that they were probably closer to each other than they thought, remembering how Louis told him their mission was at the Rock forest. What a coincidence indeed.

Harry reached for his phone and realized it was buzzing—Louis was calling. He immediately picked up, expecting a sweet greeting with a pet name, but his heart skipped a beat when he heard Louis' panic-stricken voice.

"Harry! Get out of that town now! There's—"

Just then, a large explosion rocked the ground, heat and fire spreading from tree to tree, its impact sending Harry flying off the bench, and then—darkness.


	31. Chapter 31

Louis watched as all the soldiers moved according to their commander's orders, jogging around as they lugged these big gray suit cases behind them. It had been probably half an hour since they'd arrived, all they'd done was sit beneath the shade of the tent and watch pensively ahead, and soon, as David had worded it, 'watch the show begin.'

Louis couldn't be more jittery if it were possible. He'd just spoken to Harry over the phone and learned that the boy had decided to sneak out on his own to go to some town—and wouldn't even have told Louis if it weren't for Louis noticing the obvious noise of the streets and cars! Worry immediately took over him, and maybe it was his fault Harry got pissed and basically told him to piss off in the kindest way possible, but he just couldn't help it.

His mind wandered back to that one time he'd lost Harry in the crowd, only to find him cornered by a group Alphas. Louis would do the same thing over again and again just to keep him safe. But that was the thing—Harry didn't want to be watched over like a kid. He knew he could defend himself and Louis knew that too, but it was like he needed to prove himself as a good and deserving boyfriend to Harry every opportunity he got.

Louis was bouncing his leg in anticipation for something, anything, maybe a call or text from Harry, an update from David, heck, even a message from Benedict since he had no idea where the man was. But nothing came, and all he heard was the men yelling orders, marching feet, and Niall chewing chips obnoxiously loud beside him.

There was a particularly hard slap against his knee, causing him to still his leg. He glared at Zayn who was clearly responsible.

"Stop doing that, you're annoying the shit out of me." Zayn grumbled, not tearing his eyes away from the screen of his phone.

"Well, I'm losing my shit. Why is there nothing happening? Why do they even need us here? Why won't Harry answer my calls?" Louis said in exasperation.

He yelped when Zayn harshly smacked the back of his head. "Stop whining."

All Louis could do was glare at Zayn and give him the middle finger before resting his back on his chair and looking out onto the field again. For some reason, their tent was so far away from the forest itself, but David said it was so that they could have a full view of the "show."

"What do you think David is planning? One would think he's going to let the land swallow the entire forest from his dramatics." Liam said, leaning against a tree at the side.

"I don't know what he's planning because he won't fucking tell us." Louis grumbled, "I even wish Benedict was here so that we wouldn't just sit around here! He's an annoying prick, but at least he'll be sending us off to do stuff. Not just to sit here and 'observe'. David's probably mocking us or something."

Niall gave him a sideway glance. "Geez, man. Negativity rolling off of you like a goddamn wave. Chill out."

Louis most definitely would not chill out. Out of annoyance, he snatched Niall's bag of chips and began eating it himself. Niall protested dramatically and tried to get it back, but Louis was quick to shove all its remaining contents into his mouth.

"Douche!" Niall said in annoyance, grabbing the empty plastic bag and shoving it hard into Louis' face.

"Would you two idiots stop acting like overgrown children?" Zayn said, sounding like a tired mother.

The two continued to bicker back and forth until Liam caught their attention, saying, "Guys? Is it just me or do those big suitcases look suspicious?"

They all turned to follow Liam's gaze, landing on another group of men carrying a gray suitcase.

"What's in there?" Niall asked.

"Tools, maybe?" Zayn suggested.

"They've brought in several of those things already. From what I hear from the commanders, they're sending it all over the forest." Louis said.

And, yeah. What was that about? It was also odd how everyone, including the soldiers on the field, returned and stood a great distance away from the forest. Were they going to wait for the beasts to come to them? Did they set traps on the field right in front of the forest? Were they going to blow the place up?

Louis' heartbeat sped up at the possibility. Was David actually reckless enough to do that? Without Benedict's supervision and advisory, David was literally free to do anything. And yes—David was probably either crazy or brave enough to attempt such a feat.

"Excuse me for a second," Louis muttered as he stood up and jogged down the hill, slowing down when he reached the group of soldiers standing in line.

"What are inside those cases?" Louis went straight to the point, asking a random soldier.

The man raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm sorry, strict orders from Sir Scarlet not to tolerate any kind of interference."

"I'm not interfering—I'm just asking." Louis bit back. "Now, are you going to tell me or do I have to tell my father Benedict Winter that you're not cooperating?"

Okay, Louis didn't usually used his father's name to blackmail people, but right now was an exception.

The man still looked unimpressed. "I take orders from Sir David Scarlet, not Mr. Winter."

Louis huffed in defeat, slowly retreating as he glared at the man. Subtly, he watched as one of the soldiers secured the case with a some sort of card that was swiped over a sensor to either lock or unlock it. After lingering around a bit, he followed the soldier carrying the card as he jogged back towards one of the other tents. Louis was quick on his feet and managed not to be noticed.

He peeked from outside the tent as the soldier rummaged through wooden crates inside the tent, accompanied by three other men. It wasn't long until two men left the tent, leaving him with his target and another.

Carefully slipping inside, Louis quickly grabbed the nearest man by his shoulders before he could turn and slammed his head against one of the wooden crates, effectively knocking him out. His target was quick to spin around and aim for a punch, but Louis tackled him the ground and aimed a strike somewhere in the back of his neck to make him unconscious. Successfully, the man turned limp beneath him. He began searching his pockets, his hand finally closing around the card he was looking for.

"Wha—Louis?!"

Louis nearly leaped out of his skin and prepared to charge at the intruder, but immediately calmed down when he realized it was just Liam.

"Oh, it's you."

"What are you doing?!" Liam whispered feverishly, tone hysteric, "Why are you knocking down these random soldiers? Are you that bored?"

"Maybe," Louis said with a cocky smile, waving the newly-retrieved card in of his face. "Now, let's go find out what's inside those stupid cases. But—uh, help me hide these unconscious bodies first. Looks very…conspicuous."

After several curse words and grunts of annoyance, Liam and Louis finally managed to leave the tent as innocently-looking as possible. They walked back up to where Zayn and Niall were still sat, watching them curiously.

"Okay, so did he do something crazy?" Niall inquired.

"If you could consider attacking and knocking out David's soldiers crazy—and robbing them too, I guess, then yes." Liam said.

Niall whooped in triumph. "Ha! Called it! Now pay up, Malik."

Louis rolled his eyes at the two who continued to argue and turned to Liam. "Alright. How are we going to do this?"

Liam gave him an amused look. "Is Louis Tomlinson, king of spontaneity, actually asking me to come up with a plan?"

This received him a playful (still painful, though) punch in the gut. "Fuck planning, then."

Louis began walking out of the tent once more, hearing several voices calling after him. But his attention was elsewhere—there was a new group of soldiers carrying the case and walking towards his direction. He watched as they walked past him and into another tent at the side. Louis followed along, grinning when the men started to leave the tent without the case in sight, which was probably already inside. This was just too easy.

Without wasting any more time, Louis went into the tent, spotting the gray case on one of the metal tables. With one last glance over his shoulder, he swiped the card and heard a click, carefully opening it.

Louis' heart dropped when he saw what was inside.

"Always the curious one, aren't you? Or do you simply like to be rebellious?"

Louis turned to find David entering the tent with an amused expression. He clenched his fists tightly, teeth gritted as he glared at the man.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" Louis spat.

David shrugged carelessly. "It's not the first time I've done it. Worked wonders in several other places."

"Benedict gave you permission to bomb the forest?" Louis seethed in disbelief.

At that, David smirked cockily. "Well, he won't need to give me permission after the deed is done anyway, so."

Louis was striding towards him, fisting his collar and slamming him against a wooden crate, "Tell your men not to push through. Cancel it. It's too dangerous, too many towns surround this forest."

Louis wanted nothing more than to ruin David's smug face with his fists, but he needed the man to turn this around first. An unconscious and beaten up David wouldn't help their situation.

David's composure crumbled a bit, sneering down at Louis, "I do not take orders from you, boy. Now, if I were you, I'd get those hands off of me and take a step back."

Louis didn't feel all that intimidated, but since it was clear that David wouldn't give in to his commands, then there would be no use for violence anyway. Yet. Reluctantly, Louis stepped back and watched with slitted eyes as David fixed his uniform and gave Louis an equally fierce glare.

"If you try to interfere in any way, Tomlinson, it won't end good for you." The man made a single threat before marching out of the tent looking livid.

Louis was dashing towards Liam and the others at an instant, hands clambering for his phone on the way there. He called Benedict, but as expected, it went straight to voice mail.

"Benedict. David's using bombs in the Rock forest. Do something before it's too late." Louis rushed out and sent the message before finally arriving at his destination.

He immediately grabbed Liam's shoulders so that he was facing him. "Wha—"

"David's a fucking psycho who doesn't care about collateral damage, and he's going to bomb the forest. We have to move!" Louis practically yelled in his face.

Zayn and Niall were immediately on their feet, eyes wide in disbelief and rage. 

"Well shit, what do we do?" Niall said in slight panic.

Louis paced back and forth, palms running down his face as he rattled his brain for something—anything. Benedict never allowed the usage of bombs, because although it would be an easy way to truly eradicate beasts, it would also cause harm and death to innocents.

"There are like seven towns near the forest, the fire's obviously going to spread, and who knows if it would only cause the beasts to run into the towns even more," Zayn began to ramble, "they need to be warned—Valamon, Astacia, Blue Fair—"

Louis stopped frozen in his tracks. "Fuck!"

"What?"

"Harry's in Blue Fair!" Louis yelled hysterically, barely hearing the landslide of curse words from the other men as he grabbed his phone.

His heart was thudding painfully in his chest, thinking how unlucky they truly were. Out of all the days Harry could've gone to that stupid town, why did it have to be today? And how could Benedict ever trust David like that, leaving him with all these weapons and decisions, like a toddler with guns? Louis continued pacing back and forth, hands trembling as he brought his phone up to his ear, his heartbeat still louder than the ringing.

"Pick up, pick up," Louis muttered, anxiety washing over him in overwhelming amounts.

Louis pushed past the boys who tried to get ahold of him, eyes frantically searching for David. If he could just tell David that he was putting Harry's own life at risk for this, maybe he'd stop all this madness, maybe—

Harry finally picked up.

"Harry! Get out of that town now! There's—"

At that very moment, a single gunshot echoed through the field, the only signal all these men were waiting for, followed by an ear-splitting explosion that shook the ground beneath him.

He would've toppled over if it weren't for the pair of arms that held him up—Zayn, he realized in a daze—and forced him onto his feet, eyes wide and jaw dropped as they watched a certain section of the forest being reduced to ash and fire. Howls of beats could be heard, long, low, and pained—and then the men were aiming their weapons at the edge of the forest, effectively taking out the few beasts who'd survived the explosion and were running away from it.

Then there was another loud bang—another section had been blown, and then another, and another—Louis' head spun and his stomach churned from what he was seeing.

It could've been minutes or hours later, Louis couldn't tell, when the bombings finally stopped, and there was nothing left of what used to be the Rock forest—all it was now was a burning, charred wasteland, half-burnt beasts running towards them, only to be slayed by the awaiting soldiers nearby.

But then Louis looked back to the phone he'd been clutching so hard in his hand, his entire body being overtaken by dread when his call with Harry had been cut—and a he could do was stare at the black screen and into his own horrified expression in silence.

The next thing he knew, they were running towards their car, stumbling dizzily over themselves, and finally breaking all the driving rules as they set for Blue Fair.


	32. Chapter 32

Everything was blurry when Harry forced his eyes open, the ringing in his ears subsiding gradually. He could smell smoke, soil, and blood. It took him a moment to feel his body again, arms trembling as he pushed himself off the ground. 

All around him was dark billowing smoke, distant voices strained in panic, yells and cries from all directions. Harry's head spun painfully as he sat up, causing him to squeeze his eyes closed and just sit there for a moment, finally hearing his own ragged and shaky breaths. He touched the side of his head, wincing when he felt a sting. Pulling his hand back, his fingers were now covered in dark red blood.

Harry got up on his shaky feet, stumbling as he tried to walk—but everything was just too blurry, himself being too disoriented to do anything but walk aimlessly through the mess of debris, fires, and unconscious people. He racked his brain for any recollection of what had happened, eyes widening when he remembered he was with Perrie.

"Perrie!" Harry called out weakly, voice breaking. 

As his shock slowly wore off, panic and anxiety was now taking over. His entire body trembled so much he could barely walk properly, head whipping around to find a familiar blonde. For all he knew, he was going around in circles, but there was nothing but ruins and fire, it was impossible to tell.

Harry felt a spark of hope when his eyes landed on his phone on the ground, half hidden by dirt. He practically dived into the ground to retrieve it, trembling fingers running across the screen. He sighed in relief when the screen lit up, Louis' name immediately popping up. Harry could cry.

"Harry! Babe, where are you?" Louis' voice said, immediately loosening Harry up and making him slump back against a large piece of cement, tears pricking his eyes.

"Harry, are you hurt? Please answer me," Louis' voice trembled, accompanied by several other familiar voices in the background. He seemed to turn to them as he said, "Fuck, he's not answering but I can hear him breathing. Shit—can we trace his phone?"

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but for some reason, his voice wouldn't come out. He just felt so relieved to hear Louis' voice that his body had suddenly fallen limp, his chest tightening from the smoke that surrounded him, weakening him even more.

"Baby, Haz, stay with me, yeah? We're on our way. Can you tell me what you see? How you're feeling?" Louis' voice was firm and comforting as always, but Harry didn't miss the slight tremor in it.

"F-fire," Harry choked out and coughed, eyes watering, "I can't see, it's—just smoke, I'm s-sorry,"

He could hear Louis' shaky breath, followed by his strained voice, "Okay, it's alright babe. Can you remember where you last were before the explosion?"

Harry swallowed hard, eyes scanning the distaster in front of him. He must've paused for too long because Louis called his name again, voice panicked. 

"Sorry," Harry whispered, watching various shadows shift among the smoke, "uh, don't know—some chapel, I think? I can't find Perrie…oh god, she might be hurt! And Emily!"

Louis shushed him, but Harry continued panicking, unable to imagine how he was going to get out of here, thoughts drifting to the smoke completely suffocating him, or the fire swallowing him whole. Louis' voice was his only anchor to the real world.

There was shuffling and a gush of wind on the other line, then Louis' trembling voice came, "We're here, we're here. We'll find you—I promise. I promise, baby. I love you so much."

Harry was too busy watching several figures lurking behind destroyed trees to respond. He remembered what Perrie said—the Rock forest was one of the most beast-populated places. He could tell by the creature's movements that they were hurt, probably burnt and wounded.

There was a creaking sound, snapping Harry back to reality, his eyes scanning the area to find its source. He could vaguely here Louis still talking, but he couldn't really make out what he was saying. Looking above him, Harry realized he was right next to the chapel, and the wooden wall that remained standing was now threatening to fall and crush him.

Harry might have been in a state of panic, but he knew well enough to get out of there before the wooden plank fell right on top of him. With whatever strength he had left, he began crawling away, dragging his numb limbs across the ground. He felt too weak, vision too blurry and body feeling like jelly—he wasn't going to make it.

Another loud creaking noise sounded, and Harry didn't even have to look up to know that the heavy beam of wood was now on its way down, raining debris on top of Harry's head. With one last desperate pull, he dragged his body as far as he could, but it still wasn't enough.

When all hope was lost, a shadow towered over him, and he could only grunt in pain as he was dragged farther and into safety, heart thudding as he was dropped onto the ground again just as the heavy plank plummeted to the very spot he'd been merely seconds ago.

Harry could cry in relief, but he didn't have energy for that either. He rested his cheek against the grass, sprawled on his front, limbs useless and unmoving. He wondered who he had to thank for saving his life, when he heard a low growl. With much determination, he opened an eye and looked up at the beast looking down at him. Harry didn't feel any fear—didn't feel anything, really. He just let his eyes close again, vaguely aware of the beast slipping in beneath him so that he was now draped over its furry back, his hands and legs hanging off the edge, face pressed into the back of the creature's neck.

*

Louis genuinely felt like he could faint any second. The place was a distaster—houses half destroyed, fire emerging in various spots, injured people scattered on the ground. He also felt like he could kill David at this very moment with his bare hands, and maybe he would have, if he didn't have a bigger priority.

Harry had stopped responding, and the call was eventually cut. That did not help calm Louis' nerves at all. His stomach was twisting inside him from all the stress and worry he was feeling, he just wanted to throw up. But again, that would have to wait. Harry was somewhere in there, hurting and alone—there was no time for anything else.

A rescue team arrived as they were dashing towards the chapel—or, what used to be. But before Louis could even dive right into the fire and turn every single rock to find his boy, Liam called his name from the other side of the building. 

At lighting speed, Louis was at his side, gaping at where Liam was pointing at. A beast was walking towards them, half its face burnt off and swollen. Zayn instinctively reached for a weapon, but Louis shook his head pointedly. Although reluctantly, Zayn let his hands fall to his sides, face filled with doubt and anxiety. Louis' eyes widened even more when he noticed that the beast was carrying something—someone, rather, on its back. A very familiar lanky body with dark curls—

"Harry!" Niall yelled, dropping everything in his hands and rushing towards the beast. 

Louis was at his heels at an instant, followed by Liam and Zayn. They stopped a few feet away from the beast, its eyes wary, but Louis held a hand out, muttering small 'it's okay', 'we won't hurt you's under his breath. He remembered how Harry had done it, how he'd always insisted that beasts would never attack or hurt you unless it had to defend itself.

The beast reluctantly stepped forward, leaning into Louis' palm and nuzzling it. Niall, Zayn, and Liam were gaping like they'd seen ghosts. Louis continued petting the creature and stepped closer, finally peeking over its head to see Harry. He could breath properly again when he saw the boy's chest slowly rising and falling—he was okay. He was alive.

"I'll take him now, yeah?" Louis told the beast, which earned him a low whine.

Louis didn't really know what that meant, but made his way to the creature's side and gently scooped Harry's limp body into his arms. Harry was even paler than usual, his beautiful face covered in soot and blood. Louis felt his heart break more and more as his eyes took in his wounds and scars—he was going to fucking kill David Scarlet.

"Come on, he needs to be healed," Liam said firmly, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

Louis nodded, glancing at the beast who had turned around now. For a moment, it looked back at them, and Louis now understood—Harry wasn't lying when he said there was something so familiar and human about their eyes. This one had blue eyes—eyes far too familiar. But then the beast took off, running deep into the ruins without looking back.

Louis turned back to Harry's unconscious figure, leaning in to leave a kiss on his chapped lips, hoping that the boy would be somewhat aware that he would be fine now—that Louis was going to take care of him.

*

Benedict Winter was on his way back as soon as he'd received Louis' message. To say his was outraged was an understatement, and he was going to make sure that David understood just how much he'd angered him. 

Before the car even came to a full stop, Benedict was pushing the door open and stepping out. His blood boiled as his eyes drifted to where the Rock forest used to be—which was now nothing but smoke and soil. He marched towards the tents, hands fisted at his sides as he scanned the area for that familiar, smug face.

He was an idiot for giving this man his full trust. He was the only one to blame.

Finally, he found the now revolting man in the biggest tent, sitting behind the table with a satsified smile on his face. His men were celebrating around them, as though they'd achieved such a feat. Benedict had to stop for a second to take a deep breath before surging forward and slamming his hand hard on the table, catching everyone's attention.

"I'd like to have a private word with you, Sir David." Benedict's voice was calm and formal, very opposite to his blazing eyes.

David had the audacity to raise an eyebrow at him before turning to his men and dismissing them. When the tent was now quiet and emptier than before, Benedict straightened his posture and looked the man straight in the eye.

"Would you like to explain yourself?" Benedict said, voice cold and steely.

David sighed and stood up as though this was just another lazy afternoon, plucking an apple from a fruit basket and taking a bite. "You mean, you'd like a report on my successful mission?"

Benedict fisted his hands even tighter. "No. I want you to tell me what made you think this mission of yours is acceptable in the first place—and why you think you could carry out such an act without my permission."

Benedict couldn't keep the emotion from his voice anymore, it trembled with poorly bottled up rage and contempt. 

David didn't look fazed. "You gave me the position to lead my own fleet, and you gave me a mission to rid your city of these monsters. I led my men into doing just that—I don't see why you're upset over this, Mister Winter."

At that, Benedict's composure finally gave out. "You bombed the forest, David—along with several other towns! You've caused more problems than you've fixed! How dare you defend your carelessness and irresponsibility? Is this the kind of work you're proud of?!"

David clenched his jaw, speaking slowly as he said, "It's a means to an end, Mister Winter. As long as I get my work done—nothing else matters."

"You're an imbecile," Benedict spat, "do you have any idea how many people are injured—are dead because of what you've done? Beasts have now run out of the forest you destroyed and once again clog up the city streets—"

"They'll die soon enough," David waved him off carelessly, "the smoke is quite toxic, they'd be too weak to make any damage before they collapse to the ground and die."

Benedict pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling all his rage overwhelming him. His voice was scarily calm when he said, "You released poisonous gas into the air?"

David took another bite from his apple, eyes twinking in amusement. "It comes with the bombs, Sir. Don't you worry, it affects beasts more than it does humans."

Benedict found himself momentarily unsettled by the look in David's eyes—a certain glint he'd unfortunately come to know too well. A glint that indicated hunger for adventure and glory—hunger for violence. There was a very thin line between passion and madness, and this man was dangerously teetering over that line.

"We had a formal agreement," Benedict said, voice now under control, "and you've broken it."

David barked out a laugh, "I did no such thing."

"You've meddled with my resources and ignored my terms—including how I should always be involved in your decisions, especially in the execution of missions, Sir David. You've made a mockery out of our signed papers and decided to take matters into your own hands. You've disobeyed and disrespected me." Benedict said slowly, as though letting it all sink in.

A look of panic crossed David's face for a second, but then it was gone immediately. Instead, he smiled that overconfident smile of his and stepped closer to Benedict, a taunting look on his face, "A small misunderstanding, of course. I believe the safest way to go is to avoid any drastic decisions right now. Ones you will regret."

His threat was as clear as day, and Benedict welcomed it. "What decisions do you think I'm considering, Sir David?"

The soft, charismatic look in his eyes had now vanished. "Oh, I don't know. Ones you'll have to think really hard on, Mister."

Benedict could fire him right at the spot, could enjoy his crumbling face as Benedict walked out of that tent with the last laugh—but he had to be patient. He had a lot to bring up with his Commanders, and they could surely advise him with even better ways to approach this situation.

"Then I will," Benedict said simply, stepping back and letting his lips quirk upward, "I'll let you know once I've thought it through."

David only stared at him with gritted teeth, and Benedict took that moment to walk out of the tent. His mind was filled with thoughts as he rode back to the mansion, wondering where he could've gone wrong. He'd believed in David too much and let his past victories and fame blind him from the fact that this man was a power-hungry, selfish knight who wanted the world in the palm of his hands. And he'd fallen for it.

When he'd finally made it into the mansion, Niall nearly bumped right into him, unable to see him due to the big bag he was clutching to his chest, blocking his view.

"Niall, where are you going?" Benedict said, slightly annoyed.

"Sorry," Niall muttered, "I have to bring Harry's stuff to the hospital. They said he might be staying there for a few days."

Benedict froze. "Harry's at the hospital?"

"He got caught up in the explosion, the smoke affected him really bad." Niall explained, and without another word, he brushed past him and out of the house.

Benedict stared at the dark tiles, worry filling his gut. He would never let it show—but of course he cared for Harry. Even if he hated himself for it, Harry was impossible to loathe. All the boy ever wanted was to be a good student for him, to please him in any way possible. But Benedict couldn't allow that. He couldn't get attached again. 

But as he stood there in the dark and empty mansion, thinking of his son in the hospital fighting for his life, he wondered if he'd been wrong to have treated the boy like that, and if it would be worth it to love again if it was for his own blood, his own son.


	33. Chapter 33

Louis never left Harry's side, ignoring the kink in his neck because of his position when he spent the nights sitting, hand holding Harry's. It had been two days since they'd brought Harry into the hospital, and Louis hadn't been able to get a wink of sleep since. 

They'd been told that just like the other residents of Blue fair, Harry had inhaled a big amount of toxic smoke that caused his health to deteriorate, and still continued to risk his well-being, and dare he say it, his life. Louis had tried to stash away his pessimistic side at that very moment, determined to stay strong for Harry and the others, but eventually he ended up running into one of the bathrooms to cry his eyes out, sobbing angrily and punching at the wall, feeling the pain in his chest intensify even more.

But, as always, he returned outside with a calm, collected exterior, smiling and conversing normally as though this wasn't effecting him. He could tell that Zayn could see right through his facade, and when he offered to talk about, Louis waved him off.

The truth was, he'd never been more scared in his life. He had been a Trooper since he was sixteen years old, he'd grown up under Benedict's tough rules and even tougher hands, he'd faced numerous enemies—people and vicious beasts alive, but this was the very first time he felt like he would collapse from fear and worry and guilt—it was all eating him up. 

Anyone who'd ever been in love would know that seeing the person you loved dearly hurting was the most scarring experience.

Harry was critical. There had been news of people with the same condition dying in their sleep—and fuck, Louis didn't take that news lightly. He had immediately went into Harry's room, took his pale hands within his and just cried, wishing and praying to anyone listening that Harry would wake up.

The shock still hadn't completely worn off after two days, but Louis was a lot more stable now. He was a lot more himself, which, he gave himself a pat in the back for because the last thing Harry needed was for him to be weak.

"Hey, Lou."

Louis looked over his shoulder to find Zayn with some take out food, giving him a small smile. Sometimes, Louis felt quite selfish. He often forgot that this was hard and draining for Zayn and the others as well, and that he wasn't the only one struggling judging form the dark bags beneath his eyes. Sometimes he forgot that so many other people cared for Harry too—but it comforted him to think that Harry did get the love (although not really enough) that he deserved.

"You should eat," Zayn said, dropping a styrofoam container on the foot of Harry's bed.

Louis nodded noncommittally, his attention immediately returning to Harry. Harry still looked so pale and frail, but at least his wounds had been treated. Louis watched the gentle rise and fall of his boy's chest, wondering what he'd do with himself if it ever stopped. He couldn't even bring himself to think about it without being reduced into tears.

Louis played with his curls, taking in Harry's soft features—his dark eyelashes which contrasted starkly with his porcelain skin, perfectly-shaped cupid bow lips which had thankfully regained its natural pinkish color, smooth cheeks that still contained some baby fat, and his beautiful pointed nose—one Harry would always complain about being too big, but then Louis would always kiss the tip and tell him that it was perfect, just like him.

He was still caressing Harry's cheek when Zayn spoke again, "He'll be fine, Lou. Harry's strong. We all know it."

Louis nodded, eyes still fastened on Harry's peaceful, sleeping face. "I know. He never disappoints, does he?"

Zayn shook his head, a small smile gracing his lips. "I miss him, really. His bright excited eyes, that dimpled smile of his."

Louis had never related more. "So do I."

Zayn sighed loudly before walking towards him and hauling him onto his feet, earning a confused look from Louis.

"Louis, you need to rest. You can go back home and take a shower, take a nap even, then come back after. I'll look after Harry in the meantime." Zayn said softly.

Louis scoffed as though that was the most ridiculous idea he'd ever heard. "I don't need any of that. I'm fine."

He sat back down on the chair right next to Harry, immediately intertwining their fingers as though it physically hurt him to be apart from the boy for mere seconds.

"Louis, you look and smell like shit. Do you think Harry will appreciate seeing you like that? You're like a walking dead—"

"Drop it," Louis snapped, "I'm not leaving his side. Just drop it."

There was a pause, and then Zayn shrugged in defeat. He walked back to the foot of the bed, taking a seat. "Fine. Whatever you say."

Louis felt a bit guilty, he knew he'd been nothing but cranky these past few days, but that's just how it was. The only person that could bring him back fully to himself was still unconscious, and he'd have to wait for him to wake up.

There were a few minutes of comfortable silence until Zayn said, "Have you heard the news about David?"

Louis tensed, jaw clenching. "What about it?"

"Benedict's council are discussing about firing him. He went against the contract, so he's to pay for it. They're discussing how they want him to pay."

"Well, considering he'd injured and killed hundreds of innocents—I'd gladly execute him myself," Louis said feverishly, hand tightening around Harry's.

Zayn just shrugged, "I'm not against that, but that's not really Benedict's way."

"Fuck Benedict." Louis spat, "He's just as guilty for this. Fuck them both."

The bastard didn't even bother visiting Harry, or even calling in to see how he was doing. Louis would never understand just how it was possible for Benedict to treat Harry like shit, but he at least hoped he had the decency to show up and at least care in the slightest. He stands corrected.

"What I'm saying is," Zayn said softly, "the deal's off. Harry's not going to be forced to be with David anymore."

Louis pressed his lips together. Of course he was relieved. This was what they'd been trying to do all this time, and finally, Harry was free and safe from that man. But was it worth having Harry's life at risk just to get to where they were now? Louis still felt cheated, like destiny itself was just laughing at his face and coming up with the worst things to throw at them. He was getting sick of it.

"Well, he never should've been forced in the first place." Louis said angrily.

Zayn just shut up after that, knowing very well that Louis would just find a way to get pissed at anything he said. So, after a few more minutes, he stood up and headed for the door.

"I'm going to find Niall and Liam. Call me if anything happens," Zayn said, knowing that Louis just needed a bit more space.

Louis stiffly nodded, and then Zayn was out the door. With a sigh, he fished his phone out of his pocket, going through his messages when he heard a weak whimper. His head immediately snapped up, eyes wide as he stared at Harry. For a moment he thought he just imagined it, but then there it was again—Harry groaning and moving his head.

"Haz," Louis jumped up and leaned over the younger boy, hands caressing his face and his arms, "you're okay, babe. It's me, Louis. You're safe."

Harry's eyes fluttered open, and Louis could cry in relief upon seeing those beautiful emerald eyes he'd missed. Louis didn't think as he surged downward and enveloped him in hug, whispering sweet nothings and just beaming.

"Oh my god, I was so scared Haz, fuck—but you're fine. You're fine now. Thank goodness." Louis kept mumbling.

When he pulled away, Harry was still staring at him blankly, chest heaving faster while his eyes roamed the room as though he was looking for something. Then he was trembling, small sobs leaving his lips and fuck—of course he was scared.

"Hey, hey. Harry, it's okay. You're in the hospital now, you've been saved from the explosion. You're okay. I'm here." Louis tried to say as calmly as he could, heart aching as he watched Harry's glassy, fearful eyes.

For a moment Harry just looked at him as he breathed hard, his hands painfully digging into Louis' arms, and then the younger boy was throwing himself at Louis, sobbing into his neck.

"You're fine, you're okay. I love you so much." Louis whispered into his ears, trying to calm his trembling body as he ran his hands up and down his back.

"I love you too," it was barely a whisper, but Louis heard it loud and clear.

Louis smiled despite everything, it was almost like he could feel a switch turn inside him, and now that Harry was back in his arms, everything seemed a lot more brighter. Louis pulled away and wiped away the tears on Harry's cheeks, slowly leaning in to press their lips together.

It was slow and sweet, and Louis had never felt happier. Harry smiled shyly at him, which caused Louis to kiss him again because he'd be doomed if he ignored those beautiful lips.

"Do you remember what happened, babe?" Louis asked softly, rubbing up and down his sides.

Harry swallowed before nodding, eyes casted on his lap. His voice was scratchy and weak as he said, "We were by the forest, right next to it. And then you called, but I was too slow and then there was an explosion—"

Harry began crying again and Louis wanted to punch himself for even bringing it up in the first place. He brought Harry in for another hug, and this time, didn't ask anymore questions.

A nurse soon came in and checked on Harry, and even then Louis didn't leave his side or let go of his hand. Harry seemed to appreciate that very much, because as soon as the nurse left, Harry was latching his lips onto Louis', kissing him so hard it knocked the breath out of him.

"Take it easy babe," Louis said breathlessly, holding Harry's face between his palms. "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere."

"You better not," Harry whispered, followed by a small smile.

The rest of the day was filled with giggles and cuddles, neither of them talking about the elephant in the room, and just enjoying each other's company. Louis managed to feed Harry before the boy seemed like he needed rest again. So, Louis being the rebel he was, joined Harry in the bed and wrapped his arms around him, tucking his chin over Harry's curls, rubbing his arms as he felt the boy go pliant in his arms.

It was the first time in days Louis managed to actually fall sleep.

*

The following day, Harry was practically begging to be sent home. And after a conversation with his doctor, Harry was finally released (giving him some medication and follow-up check up dates), which resulted in Harry immediately leaping off the bed to get changed as soon as Louis told him.

Which, okay—apparently Harry felt comfortable enough to change right in front of Louis, casually slipping off his hospital gown, revealing his long, lean body and porcelain skin, hopping into a pair of jeans and throwing a T-shirt on. Louis must've stared too long because Harry turned to him with an amused look, cocking his eyebrow as he basically slinked towards Louis, a mischievous smirk plastered on his beautiful face.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer." Harry teased, wrapping his arms around his neck.

Louis just laughed, didn't even bother denying it and let his hands wander to the boy's hips. "It isn't my fault I've got a hot boyfriend."

Harry actually blushed at this, which only made Louis smile wider. Harry buried his face into his neck, mumbling into the skin and lightly kissing there. Louis swallowed, tangling his fingers in Harry's wondrous curls.

"Is it really over now?" Harry whispered, tilting his head so that he could look up at Louis through his lashes.

"What's over?"

"The whole David thing. Is it true Benedict's actually going to fire him?" Harry asked, voice fragile and just so hopeful, Louis was glad all he had was good news for him.

"Yes, baby." Louis breathed, tucking a loose curl behind his ear, "After what he'd done at the Rock forest, I don't think anyone would want to work with him anymore, anywhere. And—you're staying here, Haz. With us. With me."

Harry's eyes watered at that, grinning up at Louis like he was the sun, while Louis looked down at the boy he loved the most, leaning in to feel his soft, plump lips again. Harry was just as eager as he was, opening his mouth to let the Alpha explore his mouth. Louis gripped his hips tighter, maneuvering them so that Harry was now pressed against the wall beside the door, Louis swallowing down his beautiful, delicious moans.

It was like they were catching up for all those days they'd lost because of Harry's hospitalization, or maybe all those times they held back because of Benedict and David, or maybe because Louis was just so afraid of losing Harry that he wanted to spend every moment of his life attached to him, showering him with love and kisses, bathing in his scent and heat and softness.

Louis pulled back when he felt like his lungs would collapse, heart skipping a beat at the sight of Harry like this—lips all red and swollen, cheeks flushed, eyes glassy and wider than they already were, his curls a beautiful mess atop his head. The boy once again gave him that shy smile that always made Louis weak, causing him to smile and lean in to peck at his lips one more time.

They jumped apart in surprise when the door slammed open just beside them, a very energetic-looking Niall bursting into the room. His eyes landed on Harry and then the blonde Alpha was on him in seconds, tackling him in what Louis could only guess was a bone-crushing hug.

"You're okay," Niall muttered into his hair, grabbing Harry's face and staring at him, "I'm so fucking happy you're okay, Haz."

Harry just laughed, smile widening as Niall planted a firm kiss on his temple. And then Zayn and Liam were making their way to Harry, shoving Niall out of the way and saying he'd had his moment. Louis couldn't remember feeling as happy and content as he was as he watched both Liam and Zayn pull Harry into a hug, each handling him with so much care and love, words soft and kind just as he deserved. Louis even swore he saw Liam's eyes get a little watery, which he immediately hid by shoving his face in Harry's neck and pulling him into another hug.

"Thank you for everything," Harry told them, eyes filled with sincerity and warmth, "I'm sorry for all the trouble—"

"Oh shut up Harry," Niall said fondly, ruffling his hair, "we'd do anything to make sure you'll be fine. I told you this before and I'm telling you again—we're nothing without you."

Harry's eyes began to water even more, lower lip wobbling slightly as he tried to cover it up with a smile. For some reason, Harry always found it overwhelming how people would care for him—it was like he never expected such emotions from people, or maybe didn't even think he deserved love from them. Which, the thought alone was enough to break Louis' heart. If Harry only knew just how much of an impact he made on every person he met, how much he mattered to them and how Louis himself found himself relying on Harry to live now. But of course, Harry was a perfect boy with a humble, non-expectant heart. How could anyone not love him?

They ended up in a big group hug, a few tears were shed (mostly Harry's—okay, maybe half belonged to Louis), and the moment felt so perfect, like the most ideal, wonderful ending one could hope for.

And maybe it was just Louis' pessimistic side talking, but somewhere deep inside, he knew it wasn't over just yet.


	34. Chapter 34

Back at the mansion, a lot of things were going on. Louis noticed it as soon as their car pulled up by the door, parking along with several other vehicles in the driveway. Benedict was most definitely having a council meeting at the moment. 

Perhaps, David was in there too.

And while Louis wanted nothing more than to barge into the meeting room, grab him by the collar and throw him through the window, Harry was there beside him, as beautiful as ever, looking at him as though he could read his thoughts.

"It's all over," Harry reminded him, lacing their fingers together.

Louis smiled, bringing their hands up so that he could kiss the back of Harry's hand. "And it's the start for us."

Harry beamed up at him, kissing him quickly before climbing out of the car with Louis in tow. Louis kept a protective arm around Harry's waist the entire time as they walked into the house, as though Benedict or David would jump out of nowhere and try to take him away—which, no, that wasn't going to happen anymore. They were fine now. It was over.

All five of them seemed pretty tired, so they all went their separate ways in the meantime, while Louis and Harry headed to Harry's room. As soon as they'd made it there, Harry plopped down on his bed, looking at Louis expectantly. Louis rolled his eyes fondly.

"Haz, you need to eat something first. Plus, there's some medicine you need to take." Louis said, rummaging through his pockets for the doctor's note and a small packet of tablets he'd bought before leaving the hospital.

"I'm fine," Harry whined, "I just want to cuddle with you."

"And I do too, sweetheart," Louis said distractedly, finally finding the medicine and piece of paper he was looking for, "but if I lay down there beside you, I'd never be able to get up. And I'd fail at being the perfect boyfriend who takes good care of his boy until said boy gets better."

Harry snorted. "Fine. But I'm not really hungry."

Louis' expression turned to worry, walking towards the bed and sitting at the edge. "You haven't been eating much. What food do you think you could eat?"

Harry shrugged like it didn't really matter. "I don't want to eat, if I'm honest, but I'll do it for you. Uh, maybe just bread or something light."

Louis nodded at that, excusing himself as he prepared their food in the kitchen for a few minutes before returning to his room. Harry was half asleep when he returned, his face buried into the pillow and arms outstretched on either side of him. It was like he'd fallen from a building.

Louis carefully set the tray down on the table next to the bed, feeling bad for waking Harry up. "Baby, you need to eat first. Just a few bites."

After several grunts and a bit more persuading on Louis' side, Harry finally sat up, looking sickly and tired. Louis couldn't help but worry, wondering if they'd discharged Harry too soon or if he was doing something wrong. Harry must've noticed his look of concern because he gave him a reassuring, albeit tired smile, as though to say he was just fine.

"I'm just really tired, Lou." Harry said softly, forcing another bite of bread into his mouth. He grimaced and Louis helped him drink some water.

"I know. You don't want to eat anymore?" Louis said carefully, watching Harry who looked like he wanted to throw up.

"Yeah, can I sleep now?" Harry mumbled.

"Just one last thing," Louis said before giving him one of the medicated tablets along with a glass of water.

Harry didn't protest and just took it, and finally, laid back down and snuggled into his pillows. Louis wordlessly slipped in behind him to spoon him, wrapping his arms around Harry's small waist.

"Thanks, Lou." Harry said drowsily. "Love you."

Louis smiled into his hair. "And I love you too, angel."

*

A few hours later, Louis woke up from his nap. Beside him, Harry still looked deep asleep, so with a kiss to his cheek, Louis got up and went downstairs.

Louis was supposed to look for Zayn when he walked past Benedict's office, voices immediately heard from the other side of the door. Stopping on his tracks, Louis carefully pushed the door open a bit so that he could see through the small crack. 

Benedict was standing by the head of the table with numerous other commanders filling up the long table. Louis' jaw clenched as he caught sight of David, who looked a bit high strung and frustrated, but also very enraged.

"You cannot do this," David hissed, his hand trembling as he pointed at the commanders in front of him, "those are my men! My knights! I am their leader, and I will not leave them in your hands!"

"But those are our terms," a calm voice said, probably from one of the commanders, "we pardon you from your position as the second-in-command, we overlook your violations with our contract, which in other terms would end up with you in jail, and all we want in return is your men and resources. We'll let you go, since you've lost our trust, but you don't need to face any punishment if you choose to cooperate."

"How fucking dare you!" David was trembling with rage, his voice dangerously low, "You dare mock me like this? I am the world's greatest knight—slayer of the beasts, the Scarlet Knight, the golden—"

"Not anymore." Benedict cut in, his voice as smooth as glass. "By pardoning you from your position beneath me as second-in-command, all your titles will be stripped as well. It's a kinder verdict to what would've been a lifetime in jail for all that you've done—for compromising the safety of this city, causing even more chaos, and disobeying me. You should be on your knees kissing our shoes for this. You should be thankful that we've compromised."

"Compromised?" David laughed somewhat manicaly. "All you're doing is removing me from the equation, while all the benefits come sliding to you."

"As you deserve," Benedict said coolly, "since you've brought this upon yourself."

"I am an honored knight! I will not allow you to treat me like this! I will not agree to your biased terms, I will not—" David was full-on shouting now, face red in rage.

"Would you rather go to prison, then?" Benedict inquired.

David gritted his teeth, stepping closer so that he could tower over Benedict. "No, I would rather make every single one of you pay, make every single person in this room realize what a grave mistake they're making!"

Benedict returned David's furious gaze with an almost bored look before waving some men over, "Alright, I believe David is done for today. It was nice working with you."

And then three buff men were grabbing a flailing, yelling David—his eyes burning with rage, though it was glinting with something manic as well. David yelled profanities at the men, fighting back so hard against the guards he knocked one of them over. He took that opportunity to spit on the nearest man's face, hands threatening to move, but was immediately held down by the men behind him.

"You will regret this! I will tear you apart, Winter! I am a knight! I am an honorable knight and this will not be forgotten!" David kept yelling, and Louis barely got out of the way as the doors swung open.

Louis silently watched as David was dragged across the room, unable to believe what he was seeing. David had always been well put-together, gentlemanly, even. Louis would've never imagined that he'd somehow wound up like this—all trembling limbs, loud, uncontrolled yells, wide and terrifying eyes—he almost looked mad.

Just then, David's eyes caught his. Louis just stood there, unfazed, as David practically bared his teeth at him, trying and failing to lunge at him as the guards held him back.

"You and your father planned all this, didn't you?" David seethed, eyes filled with so much rage and intensity Louis was actually tempted to look away, "You will fucking pay for this! I'll make sure of it! You're nothing but thieves—manipulating, twisted shits!"

Louis almost couldn't find any trace of the old David he thought he knew. This—this man in front of him was an empty body with nothing but boiling rage to fuel its actions and words. Louis almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

"I always get what I want!" He yelled hysterically, nearly tumbling into the ground as one of the guards harshly tugged him away from Louis.

David suddenly stopped screaming and flailing as he stared at something from the staircase, an unsettling smile taking over his sweaty face. Louis followed his gaze and his eyes widened when it landed on Harry at the foot of the stairs—looking sleep-rumpled and frozen in shock at what was before him.

"I always get what I'm promised, don't I, princess?" David said slowly, staring at Harry like a predator would a prey.

Louis was at Harry's side at an instant, shoving the boy behind him to block him from this monster.

"Get the fuck out of here," Louis spat, fingers twitching as he pointed at the door, "and if you as little as look his way again, David, I'll fucking ruin your face—"

"I'm going to get my gift, and when I do, I'll make use of my present so well I could throw him away the next day. You've been promised to me, Harry—you're my Omega. Once I get my hands on you I'll fuck you so hard you'll bleed out for days and none of your friends will be there to save y—"

Louis was on top of him in a flash, his fist colliding with David's hard face. Louis didn't see anything but red, all he felt was rage, and all he wanted to see was more red—more blood, pools and pools of David's blood on this very floor, covering Louis' fists. His hits just kept coming, and he was certain he could absolutely destroy David's face, make sure he could never make that smug smile again in his life, if he ever even survived this when Louis was done with him.

Several pairs of hands were trying to pull him off David's now limp body, but Louis felt like a god—he felt a continuous surge of energy, all just waiting to be released on this monster beneath him. He could faintly hear Harry's voice through all the noise, though it sounded more high-pitched than usual. His fists began aching as he realized that Harry was actually screaming, telling him to stop. But he didn't want to. He began shoving off the hands on his back, pushing and elbowing them away. After one particularly hard push, though, Louis' was waken from his red rage as he heard a pained cry that definitely belonged to Harry.

Immediately, he whipped his head to the side to find Harry slumped up against the near wall, Niall and Liam at his side as they tried to help him up. Zayn was looking at him like he was ready to murder him right there, hands fisted tightly at his sides.

"Fucking hell Louis!" Zayn yelled angrily, grabbing Louis by the collar of his shirt and dragging him away from David's unmoving, bloody figure. He was only faintly aware of the guards carrying David out of the mansion before Zayn was slamming him hard against the wall, eyes burning with so much rage as he came face to face with Louis.

"Calm the fuck down, mate. Don't make me fucking hit you." Zayn's voice was dangerously calm, but his hands were trembling.

"I'm sorry," Louis managed to gasp out as realization dawned to him. His eyes scanned the room and landed on Harry who was now on his feet with his arm thrown over Liam's shoulder while Niall inspected something on the side of Harry's head.

"Fuck—I pushed him, I hurt him, I'm so sorry!" Louis panicked, trying to break free from Zayn's grasp, but Zayn seemed pretty determined to keep him there.

"You've done enough, Louis." Zayn said, pressing him harder against the wall.

Louis could only watch as Niall and Liam led Harry back up the stairs. As they walked, Harry's face was hidden beneath his curls as he looked down on the floor, only glancing at him once they were at the top. Harry's eyes were red from crying, and before Louis could say something as they locked eyes, Harry quickly turned away and buried his face in Niall's shoulder.

After a few minutes after they'd disappeared form view, Zayn finally let him go, jaw still clenched as he fixed Louis with a disappointed look.

"I'm sorry," was all Louis managed to choke out, staring at his wounded and blood-covered hands.

Zayn didn't say anything, which made him feel a lot worse. He would rather Zayn shouted at him and even hit him in the face for his stupidity and lack of control, but of course he wouldn't give Louis that satisfaction. Instead, Zayn brought him to the infirmary and stayed there as a healer fixed his hands, wrapping them both in bandages after cleaning and applying some ointment on them.

That night, Louis slept alone in his room, his body automatically curling up around a pillow, imagining that there were curls beneath his nose and that there was a sweet mumble of an "I love you" beside him before he closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep.


	35. Chapter 35

Harry couldn't sleep.

Niall and Liam had looked over him the entire day after the incident, until nighttime came and Harry wasn't feeling any better. The two Alphas were sweet enough to offer to stay in his room for the night, but Harry didn't want to be a bother and told them that he'd be fine by himself. They reluctantly left soon, Niall kissing his forehead lightly, while Liam softly told him not to hesitate to let him know if he needed anything at all. Bless them.

But as the night grew deeper, Harry felt worse. Earlier, he had woken up to the sound of yelling and screaming—and as an instinct, he'd immediately panicked when he didn't find Louis beside him. When he went downstairs, though, he didn't expect to see David. He most definitely did not expect to see that man for another second in his life. But of course he'd had to show up just when David was right there to see him.

And then Louis—Louis was going to kill him. If he hadn't stopped, Harry was certain Louis would've killed him. And yes, Harry hated David as much as the next guy, but he didn't hate him to the point of wanting him dead. He could just remember how absolutely livid Louis had looked, how Harry barely recognized his own boyfriend as he beat David up. 

Harry didn't even care about Louis shoving him into the wall, it was clearly an accident. But at that moment, he'd felt so shocked and his head actually hurt from its collision with the wall, so he wasn't thinking straight. If he were, though, he would've run straight to Louis and healed his wounds and kissed them better. That was what a good boyfriend would do.

What was worse was Louis didn't even come to his room to talk. Were they just going to ignore this? Were they going to pretend it never even happened the following day? Harry just wanted his Louis to cuddle with. That was all.

After who knew how long of twisting and turning on the bed, Harry finally sat up and stared at the door. He'd been waiting for that door to burst open and for Louis to reveal himself for hours—but it was clear that Louis had no plans of seeing him tonight. Which Harry didn't agree with, because he strongly believed that it's better to talk things through with your partner than to let it last longer.

So, Harry stood up, his blanket still draped over his back as he left his room and walked quietly down the hall. Louis' door was closed, and he couldn't hear anything from inside. Maybe he was already asleep? Should Harry wake him up? What if—

Harry gasped when the door suddenly opened. An equally startled-looking Louis stared back at him, mouth opening and closing helplessly. Harry just wrapped his blanket tighter around his body and fidgeted with his fingers.

"Can I come in?" Harry asked, voice loud and clear in the silent hallway.

Louis nodded immediately, stepping aside so Harry could come in. Once he was inside, Louis closed the door, and before Harry could even turn around to face him, Louis was wrapping his arms around Harry's torso from behind, his face burrowing into Harry's neck.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't mean to. Fuck—is there a scar? A wound? I'm so fucking sorry," Louis said.

Harry turned around in his arms so that he was facing the Alpha now. He hooked his finger under Louis' chin and tilted his head upwards so that he would meet his eyes.

"I'm not angry. Well, I am upset—but not about that. I'm upset because you didn't come to my room and I couldn't sleep." Harry said.

Louis chuckled in what sounded like relief. "I thought you didn't want me there. I was—I messed up big time. I shouldn't have done anything I had earlier, but he was talking to you like that and I couldn't just let—"

Harry shut him up with a firm kiss on the lips. After pulling away, he said, "As I said, I'm not mad you idiot. I'm worried, if anything."

Harry took Louis' wrists and brought his hands up, inspecting his bandaged knuckles. Harry immediately tsked, wondering who'd treated his wound. "How many ointments did they put? I bet only one. There should be layers so that it'll heal quicker and better."

When Harry looked up, Louis was looking at him like he'd hung the moon and the stars, a look of awe evident on his face.

"What?" Harry said bashfully.

"I just—" Louis cupped his cheek, "sometimes I realize just how lucky I am to have you, and the world just stops for a second. It makes me realize how I shouldn't fuck this up, how I shouldn't hurt you—"

"Shh, you're perfect, Lou. I can't ever ask for more." After a pause, he added, "And, for the record, I'm luckier to have you."

Louis just chuckled at that and pulled him into another hug, Harry sighing in satisfaction as they slightly swayed from side to side, content in each other's arms and warmth. Eventually, Louis led them back to the bed, Harry immediately taking up residence on Louis' chest. Louis just grinned, crinkles appearing at the corner of his eyes as he wrapped a firm arm around Harry's torso, kissing his head.

"Good night, Lou." Harry said into his chest.

"Good night, my love."

*

The following day, Harry begged Louis to bring him to a nearby healing house to visit someone. Louis couldn't really drive well with his swollen knuckles, so he asked Zayn to drive them there, who'd immediately agreed.

Right now, the three of them were inside the car, Louis and Harry taking up the backseat (which made Zayn complain about how he looked like a personal driver). As they began driving, Zayn turned up the radio and sang along to the random pop songs that came up, and then soon Harry was singing along as well, throwing his head forward like a rockstar. Louis just rolled his eyes fondly.

After a while, Harry was snuggled up to his side, his big hands playing with Louis' bandaged ones. Louis pulled him closer, inhaling his familiar scent.

"Babe?" Louis said.

Harry hummed, his eyes casted outside the window.

"What were you doing in Blue Fair that day?" He asked curiously.

Harry bit his lower lip. "Uh… do you remember Emily? The Beta healer who used to work for Benedict?"

Louis furrowed his eyebrows as he tried to comb through his memory, then he was nodding, "Oh, yeah. You were really close to her."

Harry nodded against his shoulder. "Well, I went to talk to her to ask help for making the cure. But the she—she told me a lot of things I didn't know. A lot of really unexpected things."

Louis noticed Harry's slightly trembling voice, causing to look down. Harry's nose was scrunched adorably, eyebrows furrowed as he played with his own fingers.

"Was it…bad?" 

Harry shrugged. "I, uh—I'll tell you about it back home, I think. If that's okay."

"Of course it is," Louis immediately reassured him. 

After a pause, Louis said, "Is Emily the person we're visiting later?"

"Yeah. And her daughter Perrie. She was with me when the explosion happened. I hope she's fine." Harry said quietly.

After that, they spent the rest of the car ride in comfortable silence, softly singing along or humming to the radio. It wasn't long until Zayn pulled up in front of a brick building, and then they were climbing out of the vehicle.

There were quite a lot of people inside, so Louis pressed Harry impossibly closer to him, practically planting him in his chest. Beds and cots lined either sides of the wall, each taken up by pale, sickly-looking patients. Louis guessed these were all victims of the David's mission.

"There!" Harry said, dragging him along across the room. Louis stumbled forward, giving Zayn a slight tug on the arm so that he'd follow.

They stopped in front of a very familiar woman, and Louis immediately recognized her as Emily. She was a kind woman, always caring and gentle, especially to Harry. Louis could still remember how Harry had run to him and cried in his arms the day Benedict fired Emily for whatever reason. It was one of Louis' earliest memories of loathing the man.

"Harry!" Emily exclaimed, eyes wide as he also noticed Louis and Zayn and then added, "Oh goodness—you've both grown! Such fine men!"

Harry surged forward and brought her in for a gentle hug. "Where's Perrie?"

Emily pointed to the bed beside her, where Perrie was fast asleep, complexion pale. Harry's face twisted in worry, turning to Emily as he bit his lip.

"I'm sorry. I—I tried looking for her but I couldn't. And I'm sorry that we left—" Harry began, but Emily softly shook her head.

"It's nothing to apologize for, Harry. We're both fine, the healers say we just need a few more days of rest and we'll be good to go." Emily said, reaching over to take Harry's hand, "I'm very happy you're okay, Harry. I panicked when I got here and apparently you weren't here."

Harry turned shyly to Louis and Zayn, smiling in their direction. "They came to help. I don't know what would've happened if they didn't."

Emily smiled up at them, and although she looked very tired, her smile was genuine. "How have you been Louis, Zayn?" 

Zayn just smiled politely and muttered a "Fine," while Louis said, "We've been quite alright. You?"

She sighed. "Very happy. It's been a fine and peaceful life with my daughter."

Louis watched as her face fell, and then he was feeling guilty all over. Emily, along with numerous other families had been affected by David's stupidity, houses destroyed, and worse, lives taken. If only he'd managed to stop David. If he was quick enough.

As though reading his mind, Emily smiled a bit wider, "We've faced a lot of troubles, Louis. It's part of life."

Louis just nodded at that, forcing a smile on his lips. Emily turned back to talking to Harry softly, so Louis turned his attention to Zayn, only to frown when he saw him staring at the girl named Perrie.

"What are you doing?" Louis asked, eyebrow cocked.

Zayn startled, cheeks heating up as he tried to casually brush it off, scratching the back of his head. Clearing his throat, he said, "I'm just looking around."

"You mean staring like a creep?"

"Can you blame me? She's really beautiful." Zayn whispered, eyes cautiously darting to Emily.

Louis laughed out loud at that, earning an amused look from Harry. 

"Sorry." Louis said, pursing his lips together.

"Don't laugh at me. At least be supportive." Zayn grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

Louis smirked at that, patting his shoulder. "Of course I am. You want me to plan your first date? Or do you want me to convince Harry to be your wingman?"

Zayn shoved him, but there was a smile creeping on his face. After a few moments, Zayn excused himself to smoke outside, so Louis moved forward to stand next to Harry.

"Oh, you must be looking for this," Emily was saying, reaching for something at the other side of the bed, and then revealing a tattered backpack, one Louis recognized as Harry's.

"You found it," Harry said in awe, accepting the bag he'd left at Emily's house when Perrie asked him to take a walk, "I thought it was gone for good."

"I made sure to bring it with me when we evacuated. There's a very important journal in there, containing a possible solution for all our problems. A project I promised to help you with, sweetheart." Emily said.

Harry just hugged her again, kissing her cheek. "Thank you so much."

Emily just shook her head, a warm smile still evident on her face. "Your mother would be very proud of you."

Louis raised an eyebrow at that, but then the two were exchanging numbers already, talking about the best time they'd meet again. Louis just stood by his boy's side, giving his arm comforting sqeezes and reassuring smiles.

A few hours later, they said goodbye—Perrie finally waking up just as they're about to leave, causing Zayn to fidget around like a schoolboy with a crush until Harry introduced them to her—and promised that this wasn't the last time they'd see each other again.

On the drive back, Zayn was uncharacteristically smiley and energetic, while Harry was stuck to Louis' side like always, practically purring as Louis played with his curls and scratched his scalp. 

They arrived at the mansion just in time for dinner—Niall and Liam already seated on the table with impatient expressions as the maids prepared their meal.

"Where have you guys been?" Liam asked curiously as they strolled inside, taking their respective seats.

They probably noticed Zayn's creepy grin and bright, happy eyes because Niall asked, "Zayn, are you sick or something?"

Harry and Louis stiffled their laughs as Zayn threw a piece of bread at Niall, who easily dodged it.

"Really? Am I not allowed to smile and shit?" Zayn complained.

Niall just laughed louder at that, while Liam shook his head like a tired dad watching his children. Before Louis could tease Zayn even more and bring Perrie up, Benedict suddenly strolled into the room.

The sudden silence would've been comedic if Louis wasn't clenching his jaw in annoyance. Although David was gone for good, Benedict was just as bad. Somehow, he thought that eliminating David would mean that Benedict would fuck off as well, but he was obviously mistaken. It was all wishful thinking. (Plus, Benedict owned the damn mansion so of course he'd stick around.)

Wordlessly, Benedict sat down at the head of the table. Louis automatically pulled Harry closer to his side, who just quietly played with his food. Niall, Zayn, and Liam didn't look very pleased either. 

Louis took a deep breath and tried to focus on eating and not causing another scene. Louis still wondered what the man had to say for himself after trusting such a fuck-up like David. He even wondered how he'd reacted when he learned about the bombings, and how he could peacefully eat and sleep after letting David off without a full punishment of jailtime. Perhaps David was right—Benedict truly played his cards well, he knew that he'd earn more by taking David's men and resources instead of merely sending David to jail and coming up empty handed. Of course David would come up with a way to still make use of David without actually having to deal with him anymore. Perhaps, many people would commend him for that, but Louis was nothing but disgusted.

"Zayn, Niall, Liam, you've been asked by Commander Roy to return to the Fort in a few days. You've had your little vacation." Benedict said.

Niall sighed loudly, while the other two just nodded. Louis continued eating, glancing at Harry. The boy looked close to tears for some reason, causing Louis to frown.

"Babe? What is it?" Louis whispered.

Harry shook his head wildly, squeezing his eyes shut. "Just ignore me, please."

Louis was about to say something else when Benedict spoke again, his words directed to Louis.

"I've convinced Roy to consider taking you back at the Fort. He said he needed as many Troopers as he could get despite the surplus of David's men, so he's willing to let you back in. You'll have to—"

"I'm not going back," Louis said firmly, his hands enveloping Harry's hand on top of the table. "I resigned, and I'm staying right here. I'll find a job soon. Doesn't have to be at the Fort."

Benedict's eyes momentarily flicked down to the two boy's intertwined hands, though Louis couldn't really read his expression. He never could.

"Very well." Benedict said simply.

Dinner soon ended, finally giving them an excuse to get the hell out of there. Louis was quick to lead Harry back upstairs, catching Benedict watching them as they did so. Louis paid him no mind until they'd finally made it to Harry's room.

That was when Harry broke down.

"Hey, hey." Louis said soothingly, hugging him close as Harry cried into his chest, "Can you tell me what's bothering you? Please, baby?"

Harry didn't respond immediately, merely nuzzling his face into his neck. Louis somehow managed to get them on the bed, shifting around so that Harry was lying on his chest once again.

"It's—it's about what Emily told me," Harry whispered.

"What did she say?"

Harry sucked in a deep breath. "He—Benedict's my real father. Like biological father. And I know it shouldn't even matter but it makes everything worse, he won't even look at me—"

"Shh," Louis hugged him closer, heart beating faster at the new piece of information. "It's alright. It's okay."

Harry cried himself to sleep that night, while Louis mind whirled with what kind of monster Benedict might be. Shock and frustration soon turned into boiling rage.

He fucking loathed Benedict with all his heart.


	36. Chapter 36

"Did you know that there used to be a plant that increased your size? Well, they say it was tricky to brew it and get it right, but if you do, you could grow like up to ten feet tall or something! They say it's probably the plant giants used to eat, which is why they're so big. But if you cooked it wrong, though, you'd end up with abnormally long limbs but then your head and torso would stay the same size, so that's pretty awkward. And unfortunate, cause you know, there's no undoing it. The plant's extinct now-I can't really remember the name, nor would I be able to pronounce it if I did know. Anyway, I think it's quite interesting."

Louis stared at Harry with an amused look, letting the boy shower him with all his herb and plant trivias. It was cute, really-beyond cute. Harry didn't even realize how adorable he was, probably didn't even realize he was rambling and talking a lot either. The boy would get all serious and focused as he racked his brain for information about herbs and plants he'd read about, unaware that Louis didn't really try understanding much and just wanted to watch him talk.

"That is interesting," Louis said casually, taking a sip from his juice.

They'd decided to eat out for lunch today, so Louis made sure to find them a decent restaurant and booked a reservation as soon as he could. It was quite worth it, because Harry seemed to be enjoying his pasta, either unaware or indifferent of the small patches of sauce stuck to his cheek near his mouth.

Louis laughed and leaned over the table to wipe it off with his thumb, licking it afterwards. Harry just smiled happily at him.

"Are your hands better? Do you think we should buy more bandages, maybe better quality ones than we have back at home." Harry said, taking his still bandaged hand to inspect it.

In all honesty, the bruise was barely there anymore, but Harry kept on insisting to let it fully heal, so Louis just gave in and let him smear as much ointments as he wanted.

"No, I don't think we need to buy more bandages." Louis said.

Harry nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But you promised to help me buy pots and other gardening tools. Emily asked me to replant the pollen I'd gotten from my Lilian plant as soon as I can."

Harry and Emily had been speaking frequently now, though mostly over the phone, concerning Harry's cure drug. Louis practically became his assistant, helping him find all the materials and books he needed for it. Louis wasn't complaining, though, because seeing Harry's focused face, lip sticking out between his lips as he did something in concentration while wearing a pink apron (Harry insisted that he protected his clothes and skin from the plants just to be safe) made it all worth-it.

Basically, in a short span of time, Harry's room now looked like some sort of greenhouse. The bed was pushed to the side, and on top of it were mountains of books and scrolls. His window ledge was filled with potted plants, but Harry said he might bring them down to the garden for better sunlight. He spent most of the day there, working on the cure full-time, talking to Emily over the phone and discussing certain things Louis didn't even try to understand. At night, they slept in Louis' room since that was the obviously more practical choice, and during the morning, Harry would bring up breakfast in bed before going to his room to continue his work.

In short, they were happy.

Louis didn't want to speak too soon, though. Fate was an actual bitch to him, so he treaded cautiously for now, enjoying every moment but also keeping his eyes wide open for anything that might come to them.

"Are you done eating? We could go to the gardening shop now." Louis said.

Harry quickly finished the rest of his pasta, gulping down his drink soon after and burping obnoxiously, earning a few weird looks from the people around them. Louis just kissed his silly smile before leading him out of the restaurant and making their way to the shop.

Louis kept a hand around his waist as Harry looked through various pots and seeds, mumbling incoherently as he seemed to pick between two items.

"Louis, which one is better?"

Louis frowned. The two pots looked exactly the same. With a shrug, he pointed to the one on the left. "Uh...this one?"

Harry seemed to think it through before nodding appreciatively. He put several of those into their cart before turning to Louis and kissing his cheek sweetly, chirping "Thanks!"

Louis' smile only widened, watching the boy in some lovestruck haze as Harry continued looking through the shelves of gardening tools, packets of seeds, and even more pots (how many kinds of pots are there?). Louis pushed the cart along, making random picks whenever Harry asked him to pick between two items. Eventually, though, Harry seemed to notice. 

"You're not really picking, aren't you? You're just guessing randomly." Harry complained, jutting his lower lip out.

Louis laughed. "Alright, I'm sorry. I just have no idea about these things. And hey, I pick them according to which color would look better when you're holding it."

Harry glared at him, though his lips broke into a smile. "Whatever."

They spent another half hour browsing aimlessly, Harry having to make a few calls to Emily to ask her about a particular product (since Louis' opinion no longer counted). Louis just trailed along, not even getting bored. Harry just happened to have so much energy and so much stories, Louis could walk around the store all day and he wouldn't even notice the time.

"Look, Lou! It's the exact blue of your eyes!" Harry yelped excitedly, picking up a hoe and nearly hitting Louis across the face with it.

"Really?" Louis said in amusement, causing Harry to pout.

"Alright, it's the exact blue of my eyes," Louis said with a chuckle, "now put it back down before you impale someone."

Harry did as told, trying to walk back to Louis so quickly he didn't notice the tall man wearing a hoodie beside him and bumping into his chest. Louis was immediately walking towards them, eyes narrowed at the subtle but definitely noticeable touch the stranger did, his hands gliding across Harry's hips. Harry looked up in surprise and apologized profusely, stepping away and staring at the ground.

"You okay, babe?" Louis said as he stopped before them, his voice purposely deeper and firmer than usual.

Harry returned to his side (his rightful place) and Louis managed to glance at the stranger one last time, though his hood was pulled up and his mouth and nose was covered by a medical mask. Harry was tugging him along before he could overthink it.

"What a proper creep," Louis muttered in annoyance.

"He looks more like a shoplifter, really," Harry said, laughing.

"And you bumped right into him." Louis pointed out.

"I'm naturally clumsy! My limbs never cooperate." Harry said, crossing his arms in defiance.

Louis smirked, pulling him closer so that he was flush against his chest. His voice was husky and low when he said, "I don't like any other man getting to touch you, baby. I don't like it."

Harry shivered, biting his lower lip. "Noted."

Louis stared at his pink lips for a second before surging in and capturing it with his own, no fucks given as they kissed in the middle of the store. Harry seemed to enjoy it just as much as he did, opening his mouth causing their tongues to collide messily. Louis tangled his fingers in Harry's curls, tugging slightly as Harry moaned into his mouth.

If Harry didn't pull away, Louis would've kept on kissing him until they were on the floor. Harry's cheeks were red, eyes widening as he looked around them, as though he only noticed now where they were.

"There are children!" Harry whispered feverishly, face reddening even more.

Louis just laughed and pecked his abused lips one last time before tugging him forward and pushing the cart towards the cashier so that they could get out of here as soon as possible.

Afterwards, they were loading everything into their car's trunk when Louis caught sight of that odd shop-lifting dude from earlier, lurking around in the parking lot. His face was still mostly covered by his hood, and he was just standing there with his hands in his pockets, staring right at them.

Louis was mere seconds away from storming up to the guy and asking him what his issue was when Harry suddenly kissed him-hard and desperate, Louis' thoughts immediately melted to mush. Louis pressed him up against the car, nipping at his bottom lip, while Harry's hands traveled along his sides and back.

"What was that?" Louis said, slightly amused (and very turned on) as he looked into Harry's slightly blown pupils.

"You started it inside," Harry whispered somewhat seductively, rutting up against him. Louis' eyes widened when he felt his hard-on. "better finish it, Alpha."

Louis had never climbed into the car and drove home faster in his life.

*

It was like Harry got possessed by some spirit because as soon as they'd locked themselves in Louis' room, Harry was on him, his lips eager and hot, hands roaming all over.

Louis panted into the kiss, digging his fingers into Harry's slim waist, backing him up so that Harry's back was pressed against the wall. Their kiss was frantic and heated-Louis knew that all their sexual frustration would eventually take its toll. Harry's arms wrapped around his neck pulling him closer, his hands playing with Louis' hair. With a grunt, Louis hoisted the boy up by his thighs, causing Harry to squeak into his mouth and immediately wrap his legs around Louis' hips.

Louis cupped his ass cheeks, kneading it with his hands as Harry moaned filthily into his mouth. Louis was aching hard-he didn't know what Harry wanted, and he was afraid he might get too carried away.

Without breaking the kiss, Louis carried Harry to the bed, dropping him gently on his back. Harry looked up at him with dark, half-lidded eyes, cheeks and lips beautifully red. Louis crawled in between his open legs, hovering over him and pausing for a moment to just admire this work of art.

"What do you want, baby?" Louis breathed, pressing open-mouthed kisses on the side of his mouth and along his jaw.

Louis watched Harry's eyes carefully, not missing his look of hesitation. Before Harry could open his mouth to respond, Louis beat him to it.

"There's no rush," Louis said softly, "I know you want to wait for our first time."

Harry looked relieved, smiling up at him. "I want to please you,"

Louis swooped down to steal a kiss, grinning down at him. "Yeah? How?"

Suddenly, a hand was cupping his hard-on beneath his clothes. A groan escaped his mouth, leaning in to suck on Harry's neck.

"Please," was all Harry said as he began to palm him through his jeans.

Louis was weak in the knees at an instant, getting off the bed to strip off his clothes. Harry was quick to copy him, shredding his clothes and tossing them carelessly to the side. When Louis turned back he moaned at the sight-Harry splayed naked on his bed, waiting expectantly for him.

"Fuck," Louis breathed as he climbed back on top of Harry, raking his eyes down every inch of his bare skin.

"I want you to fuck my mouth," Harry said, eyes glassy and lips parted as he stared up at the Alpha.

Louis cursed again, but then he was already positioning himself so that his knees were planted on either side of Harry's head. He gave his cock a few pumps, eyes trained on Harry's beautiful, welcoming lips. He would've come right there on the spot if Harry hadn't slapped his hand away, replacing it with his own.

Before Louis could even react to his hands wrapping around him, he felt his cock being enveloped in wet heat-causing him to moan low in his throat. Harry had taken him in all at once, his eyes now sqeezed shut, tears prickling at the corners. Louis lost himself in the sensation and began rocking his hips forward, his body feeling like it was on fire.

Harry began bobbing his head to meet Louis' thrusts, sputtering as it hit the back of his throat. Louis slowed down a bit but Harry grabbed his hips and pulled him down hard-silently telling him not to hold back. And who was Louis to say no?

Louis thrust into Harry's mouth causing Harry to moan deeply, sending vibrations down Louis' cock. Louis' hands made its way to Harry's hair, gripping onto his curls like his life depended on it, and then Louis was properly fucking his mouth again, using his hands to guide Harry's head.

The room was now filled with low grunts and moans, but all Louis could feel was heat, and all he could see was Harry's tear-stained face, cheeks even rosier than they'd ever been, lips a dark shade of red. It was when Harry blinked his eyes open, staring up at him with wide, glassy emerald eyes did it send Louis over the edge.

Louis pulled out and aimed at Harry's chest, his entire body shuddering as he came. He collapsed on top of Harry, both of them panting into each other's necks.

"Fuck, Haz." Louis breathed, pushing himself up to look at him. "That was-wow."

Harry actually had the audacity to look shy. "Did I do good?"

And fuck-his voice was raw, scratchy and just absolutely destroyed. Louis attacked his abused lips once again, cupping his face in his hands. As he shifted on top of him, Louis felt Harry's hard-on press against his thigh.

"Babe," Louis said as he pulled away from the kiss, "on your hands and knees."

Harry looked confused for a moment, but he quickly complied. When he was in position, Louis ran his hands down Harry's soft back, and then cupped his globes. Harry arched his back, mewling weakly.

"You good, baby?" Louis asked.

Harry nodded, "Y-yes,"

Louis reached for a tube of lube inside one of his drawers, squirting a generous amount on his fingers. Gently, he eased a finger into Harry, his other hand rubbing his thigh comfortingly. Harry squirmed at the contact and began rocking back against his finger.

Louis fingered him as gently as he could, curling his finger and thrusting it in and out. Later, he pushed in a second finger, and then Harry was a trembling mess. Louis rubbed around the rim, pushing down up to his knuckles and twisting his fingers just the right way. With a particular thrust, Harry moaned loudly, burying his face into the pillow beneath him.

When Louis added a third finger, Harry was mumbling incoherently into the bed sheets, body sheen with sweat, thighs trembling. Louis let him enjoy it for a few more moments, and then just as Harry was at the very edge, Louis pulled his fingers out.

"Wha-?" Harry grunted, whimpering as he rocked his butt back, only to bump into Louis' chest. "L-lou, please."

God, he sounded so gone. 

"Patience," Louis said calmly.

Harry began wriggling around again, whining into the pillow beneath him when Louis suddenly surged forward with his tongue and licked into him. Harry half moaned and screamed, his entire body coming alive at the contact.

Louis grabbed his ass cheeks and pulled them apart to give him more space, moaning at the beautiful sounds Harry was making. Louis was so lost in it all-all he knew was HarryHarryHarry. 

Louis continued fucking him with his tongue, helping keep his ass in the air as Harry's legs began to turn to jelly. Louis reached around Harry and grabbed his cock, pumping it in sync with his tongue.

"Louis!" Harry moaned loudly, body shuddering and trembling.

Louis pulled away to say, "Come on, baby. Come for me."

And then Harry was moaning, his body going to stiff as he came on the bedsheets. He collapsed onto his chest on the bed, body heaving as he breathed. Louis was quick to lie down at his side, caressing his face and kissing him sweetly this time.

"You're so beautiful, my love." Louis whispered, heart thudding loudly as Harry smiled sleepily at him.

Louis made quick work of tidying their mess, and then he was back at Harry's side, gathering his boy into his arms. Harry nuzzled into him, pressing soft little kisses along Louis' chest. 

Louis wrapped his arms around him, rubbing soothing circles on his back. They soon fell alseep against each other, feeling full and content.


	37. Chapter 37

Harry woke up to the smell of bacons and coffee. He rubbed his eyes and stretched a bit before sitting up, eyes widening as it landed on Louis who was holding a tray of breakfast.

"Good morning, love." Louis said, kissing him on the mouth before placing the tray on his lap.

Harry grinned widely, feeling quite giddy. "Thank you so much. You didn't have to."

Louis sat down next to him and took his hand to kiss it. "You've been doing it for me for days straight. I wanted to surprise you."

Harry blushed. "Well then, consider yourself successful."

Harry happily ate the breakfast prepared for him by his wonderful boyfriend, and they spent the entire time talking about random things and laughing like the lovestruck teenagers they were. Harry felt like he could fly from how light he felt, how wonderful and colorful everything suddenly was. It must've been Louis' smile—that beautiful smile surely lit up everything in the room.

They ended up in another heated snog session soon after, but they both jumped apart when they heard a knock on the door. Louis quickly fixed his shirt while Harry covered himself with a blanket in an attempt to hide his nudity. The door swung open and Liam poked his head in, smiling at the sight of the two. Unlike Niall and Zayn who were already back at the Fort, Liam tended to be sent back and forth here to run certain errands.

"Good morning lads," Liam greeted casually.

"Hi," Harry mumbled, while Louis sounded quite annoyed when he said, "What'd ya want?"

Liam raised an eyebrow at him and said, "Uh, Benedict was looking for you, Harry. He wants to talk to you."

Harry froze, pressing his lips together. Louis narrowed his eyes at the other Alpha, standing up.

"Why?" Louis bit out, glowering at Liam.

Liam raised his hands in surrender. "Mate, I don't know."

"Lou, it's fine." Harry said, fidgeting with his fingers. "Thanks, Li."

Liam gave him a nod before walking out of the room and closing the door. Louis turned back to Harry, jaw clenched and hands fisted at his sides.

"Haz, you don't have to talk to him. We've pretended like he doesn't exist for like, weeks. You can just ignore him." Louis said firmly, his hands protectively closing around his wrists.

"I…I kind of want to know what he wants to talk about." He said quietly, biting his lower lip.

Louis immediately shook his head, laughing humourlessly. "For all we know he's setting you up for some twisted marriage shit again. No, we're not going to give him that. He doesn't fucking own you and you have to show him that, Harry. If you let him toss you around like a puppet, he'll never fucking stop."

His words came out harsher than he'd expected, causing Harry to wince and shrink into himself. 

"I—sorry. You're right." Harry quickly said, suddenly nervous at Louis' outburst.

Louis' expression immediately softened, guilt taking over. "Shit, I'm sorry. I'm not mad at you, I just— I'm sorry. I've just been bottling up this anger towards Benedict for so long, I feel like everytime he's mentioned I could just explode. I'm sorry baby."

Louis pulled Harry into a hug, feeling him sigh against his neck. "It's okay, Lou. You're just worried."

Pulling away, Louis looked him in the eye. "You don't have to listen to me. I don't own you either. Just—if you agree to talk to him, can I come with you? Not to be annoying and overprotective, I just don't trust him anymore."

Louis looked so nervous as he said it that Harry had to kiss him to make him relax. With a sweet smile, Harry nodded. "Of course, Lou. We're basically one person now, so it makes sense. He'll have to deal with it."

Louis sighed in relief, staring down at their intertwined hands. There was silence, and then Harry frowned as he watched Louis' uneasy posture.

"Hey," Harry said, tilting his face so that he was looking at him, "what is it? Don't be nervous."

Louis shook his head sadly, caressing his cheek, which Harry immediately leaned into. "I tend to over think a lot. I'm just so worried that now that everything's so perfect and amazing—it could disappear in just a blink of an eye. I don't want to lose you, Harry. I'm so fucking scared. Every single day."

Harry couldn't help his eyes from watering. He pulled Louis' face closer so that they were mere inches away. "You have nothing to worry about. We're fine. I won't be leaving your time any time soon—or, hell, any time during the foreseeable future. I promise."

Louis closed the space between them, kissing him with so much fervor Harry felt the wind get knocked out of him. Harry felt like he could cry too—he'd never felt this safe, happy, and content in his entire life. It scared him too—all that haunted Louis visited Harry's thoughts too. But he didn't need to burden Louis, so he never told him. It just hurt him that Louis had been feeling this way too, and he had no idea.

"I think we should get ready," Harry panted against his lips, smiling slightly. "Benedict hates tardiness."

"Fuck Benedict." Louis said, kissing him again.

Eventually, Harry managed to persuade him to put the smooching on a pause for now. Harry took a quick shower, worries filling his brain as he stood their with the water cascading over his body. Louis had a point. What if Benedict was setting him up with another crazy knight? What if he was being kicked out? What if it was so much worse?

Harry stepped out of the shower and dried himself up, putting on his usual outfit—a loose shirt and some skinny jeans. When he walked out of the bathroom, Louis was sitting on the bed staring at his phone. Upon noticing him, Louis stood up and smiled.

"Let's go, then?"

With a nod, they went down to Benedict's office. Inside, the place was just as dull and boring as they'd last remembered. Louis kept a firm hand around Harry's waist as they approached his table, where Benedict was sitting down, reading something on a piece of paper.

Harry cleared his throat, effectively catching Benedict's attention. The man's eyes took in how closely Harry was standing next to Louis, and just how protective Louis' stance was. Already knowing that these two weren't going to remove themselves from each other any time soon, he just beckoned them to sit down on the chairs by the table.

After doing so, Harry stared at his lap, nervously chewing at his lower lip. Louis' eyes were hard and calculating, looking at Benedict like the man didn't notice.

"Well," Benedict began, addressing each of the boys with a small nod, "I've heard some things about you, Harry."

Harry's head snapped up at that, eyes wide. "Oh. Uh, what things, exactly?"

Benedict templed his hands, smiling slightly as he said, "About the drug. Your project to create a cure for beasts."

And—oh fuck. Harry's eyes widened even more. He was going to tell Harry to stop, wasn't he? He was going to force Harry to stop, to throw away all he'd worked on for months just like he'd done to Anne before. Benedict was going to destroy everything and he wouldn't be able to do anything. No—this couldn't be happening.

"Haz? What's wrong?" Louis asked in concern, worry filling his gut as Harry began palpitating, looking like he was at the brink of tears.

"Harry," Benedict began worriedly, lifting his hand to touch Harry's arm but the boy flinched away from him, eyes suddenly filled with terror.

"No!" Harry yelled, jumping to his feet. "I worked on that cure for months—I'm so close, no—I'm not letting you destroy it!"

Louis was at his side at an instant, trying to calm him down by rubbing his sides and throwing and arm over his shoulder but Harry only trembled harder.

"Harry, I—" Benedict tried, looking confused.

"You did this to my mom before, I'm not letting you do it again," Harry said feverishly, tears now trickling down his cheeks. "I don't care if you think this cure is a waste of time, or if you don't think I can do it. Because I will. It's not your business, and I can't let you destroy it."

Benedict looked shocked. Louis had never seen such a human emotion on his face.

"Just—please," Harry pleaded, voice now soft "Let me finish it. I know I can do it. I—I have to finish what Mom started. What you kept her from achieving in the first place."

The pieces clicked in Louis' mind, finally understanding where Harry was coming from. The boy had mentioned to him how Anne's necklace had contained the seeds for the Lilian plant he needed for the cure. Of course Anne had attempted the same project. Only, Benedict was there to block her.

Louis clenched his jaw and tightened his hold around Harry, prepared to yell at Benedict's face for what an absolute monster he'd always been, maybe even land a punch on his face for what he was trying to do, but all those thoughts slipped his mind when he turned to look at the man. 

Benedict's eyes were watery. It looked like he was trying so hard to hold back tears—tears Louis didn't know he was even fucking capable of producing. But right there in front of him, Louis watched as Benedict was overwhelmed with emotion, tears threatening to fall. Louis never thought he'd lived to see this day. Seeing Benedict in pain satisfied some part of Louis, as though at least he was now aware that the man could feel, and was just good at hiding it.

"How do you know?" Benedict said, his voice too weak and unguarded to be recognized as his.

Harry wiped his tears with the back of his hand, lower lip trembling as he said, "Emily. I know e-everything. I know all about you and Mom and about everything you've done."

Louis could barely recognize Harry's voice either. It was filled with so much pain and hate—but at the same time it was vulnerable and just raw. Louis couldn't do anything else but bring Harry's body closer to his and to hope that the comfort he had to offer would be enough.

"I—" Benedict started, a single tear finally rolling down his cheek. "Harry—"

"I don't want to hear it," Harry said dangerously calm, blazing eyes boring into Benedict's. "Just know that I will continue with the cure, and if you try to stop me I swear to god—"

"I don't want to stop you," Benedict said quietly. He took a shaky breath and wiped his tears away, straightening his posture as though that would make him look stronger. "I want to help you. I want to support this project. I—I've learned from my mistake with Anne."

Absolute silence came after that. Louis couldn't believe his ears. Benedict admitting a flaw? Benedict supporting Harry? What was going on?

Harry sucked in a shaky breath, watching the man before him. At first, he thought he must be bullshitting him. But it was almost as though he could see the shadow of guilt and regret in Benedict's eyes—something that had never happened before. Was this all real? Harry didn't know what to think, much less how to react and what to say.

Just when the silence was getting unbearable, Benedict spoke softly, "I'm sorry, Harry."

Harry must've been dreaming. This was impossible. Benedict would never apologize to save his life. Benedict didn't even care about Harry at all—none of this was making any sense.

"Bullshit," Harry spat. "You're a fucking monster, you can't be sorry."

"I am," Benedict agreed, smiling slightly. "I've been a lot of things. I know so. But I am sorry."

Harry shook his head. "You expect me to believe this? What twisted shit is this?"

Harry gave Benedict one last look of disgust before turning around and heading for the door. He was about to slam the door shut behind him when Benedict spoke again.

"I really did love your mother, Harry. And I'm sorry that you had to deal with the consequences of it. I'm fucking sorry." Benedict said, voice wavering slightly.

Harry didn't buy it for a second. He slammed the door hard, not looking back.

Louis remained inside the office, watching an emotionally conflicted Benedict standing before him. He had never used the word 'emotionally' and 'Benedict' before in a single sentence. Louis felt like the entire world was changed.

Louis had had enough of this man. Turning his back on him, he went to follow Harry. Before he could leave, though, he heard Benedict say, "I mean it, Louis. Every word."

Louis didn't stop walking and simply said, "Prove it," before leaving the room. 

Neither of the boys witnessed Benedict fall to his knees and let go of his tears that day.


	38. Chapter 38

Harry was crouched down on the ground, eyes scanning through the plants in front of him. He'd been keeping a close eye on these, making sure that each flower was blooming perfectly, and that they were all healthy.

"Shall we start?" Emily called form behind him.

Harry nodded before lifting one of the potted plants with him and placing it on the long, wooden table. Emily had just finished setting up a medium-sized cauldron sitting atop a flame. Harry scanned the rest of the room—jars and vials of various potions and essential ingredients for medicinal brewing filled one of the wooden shelves, while lines of potted plants (which Harry had brought all the way here from the mansion) filled the other side of the room. At the center was a long wooden table and the cauldron. The door and windows were left open so that fresh air could make it inside.

"Darling, can you fetch me some water?" Emily asked, rummaging through a big traveler's bag.

Harry immediately nodded, running out of the cabin to do so. He had Louis to thank for the place—apparently, this would've been their hiding place back when he and Harry planned to run away if they couldn't think of any other way to get rid of David (good riddance). Louis told him that Aaron had actually helped him find this hidden cabin in the middle of the woods for him. Harry made a mental note to bake Aaron some cupcakes in the future.

Harry picked up a pail from the ground, absolutely ruining his boots in the mud as he walked towards the hose connected to a faucet on the wall. There was a sink inside the cabin, but the pressure was too low, so he'd sacrifice his boots for this. 

As he waited for the pail to fill, Harry looked around to admire the place—he loved how all he saw were endless clusters of towering trees. Birds chriped happily overhead, the sun's rays beaming down at them through the canopy of leaves just right. It was such a peaceful, beautiful place compared to the cold and empty mansion he called home.

Harry closed the water and began lifting the pail, only to be startled as a pair of arms wrappes around his torso.

"Louis!" He whined.

Louis laughed, kissing his neck. "Let me do it, you're my baby."

Louis stole the pail from him and carried it into the house, smiling sweetly at him. Harry only rolled his eyes, following after him.

"I can very well carry that myself, Tomlinson." Harry said.

"Of course you can," Louis agreed, "but I don't want you getting tired. Or risk an injury because of your clumsy nature. You've got an important project in your hands—we can't risk you."

Harry just laughed at Louis' wiggling eyebrows. Emily thanked them after Louis had handed the pail over, resuming to what she was doing on the table. Harry began walking back to the plants, but then Louis blocked his way.

"Heeeeyy,"

"I'm bored, Haz." Louis complained.

"And I'm busy," Harry said matter-of-factly, trying to get past him.

Louis quickly had him trapped between his body and the wall. "Is this how you treat your boyfriend?"

Harry held back a smile, running his palms down Louis' chest. "I'll give you a treat when we get back to the mansion, just not now."

Harry attempted a slightly seductive voice, and though he internally cringed at it, Louis seemed to be very well on board.

"I'll be counting on that, pretty thing." Louis said with a smirk, leaning in to kiss him.

Harry took that moment to slip out from underneath him, pressing his lips together to keep himself from laughing at Louis' affronted look. 

"As I said, I'm busy." Harry said simply, smirking as he blew Louis a kiss.

Louis watched in defeat as Harry went back to Emily's side, looking over some book. A smile crept up his face when Harry looked over his shoulder just to wink at him quickly.

Deciding that Harry wouldn't appreciate an overly clingy boyfriend, Louis went back outside. Perhaps he could go back to their car which was parked somewhere near the road and just chill there, but he decided against it when he saw Zayn leaning against one of the trees and made his way towards him.

This was their second day in the cabin after Louis' brilliant suggestion that they did all the brewing somewhere else other than the mansion. Clearly, things weren't any better between Harry and Benedict. It had been a few days since their conversation, and though Benedict was actually reaching out, Harry was very determined to ignore him until the end of time.

Zayn had agreed to tag along with them on their "really-not-dodgy-cabin-in-the-woods-trip" when he learned that Perrie was going to be there. Louis teased him about his crush on Perrie for a good ten minutes until Zayn punched him particularly hard in the shoulder, effectively shutting him up. It was still early and there was still a lot of time to kill, so he hoped Zayn had some fun ideas.

Louis stopped on his tracks when a familiar blonde girl emerged from behind one of the trees, laughing along with Zayn. Brilliant. His boyfriend was busy and his best friend was busy flirting, this was horrible. Zayn and Perrie didn't even notice him, too engrossed eye-fucking each other, so he just shook his head and turned the other way. 

He ended up in the car (pathetic, he knew) with the radio playing and his legs stretched out and resting on the dashboard. Out of boredom, he dialed Aaron's number, hoping to let him know that they'd made use of the cabin he'd looked for.

"Louis?"

"Hey, mate." Louis greeted casually, eyes casted towards the cabin through a few trees, where he could see Harry's figure walking in and out of the place, "Just wondering how things are—"

"Did you hear the news?" Aaron asked.

"Uh, what news?"

"About David Scaret."

Louis immediately sat up, his grip tightening on his phone. "What about him?"

There was a pause and then, "He's fucking mental, mate. He came here just this morning—and they said he actually attacked Commander Roy. He was demanding his men back, demanding his 'glory' and whatever. He was just a mess, yelling and throwing his fists at anyone who came close."

Louis swallowed. "Did you arrest him? Why is he even still here? I thought he was supposed to be sent back to the stupid kingdom he came from!"

"He was supposed to, but this guy knows people and they say he's been helped." Aftera pause, he added reluctantly, "and to answer your first question—well, no. We weren't able to arrest him. He got away."

Louis' heart sunk to his stomach. Immediately, his eyes went to look for Harry's figure in the distance, and when he couldn't find him, he was out of the car in an instant.

"Tell me more. What happened to Roy?" Louis said, jogging back to the cabin.

"It's quite odd, really. He was beat up and stuff, but not that bad. A lot of us think David must've taken something from him instead. We don't know, it's all pretty confusing." Aaron said.

Louis' mind was racing. He'd let his guard down. He thought David was a mere shadow of the past, but that wasn't true. He had to tell Benedict about this. But first, he needed to find Harry and assure himself that his boy was safe.

"Fuck," Louis said, rubbing his palm over his face, "I'll call you later, Aaron."

He didn't wait for a response before hanging up. He went straight into the cabin, startling Emily who was stirring something in the cauldron.

"Where's Harry?" Louis said, the tremor in his voice giving his nervousness away.

Emily gave him a worried look. "Oh, he went outside. He said he was going to look for you."

Louis left the cabin without another word, scanning the identical-looking trees, but of course he wasn't there. He could feel his heart thudding against his chest when he approached Zayn and Perrie, their laughs immediately dying down when they saw his face.

"Have you seen Harry?" Louis said, nearly choking in his saliva. Fuck, he couldn't breathe properly.

"No," Zayn said with a frown. "Why? What's happening?"

Louis took a moment to collect himself and take a deep breath. He was so fucking nervous, he couldn't feel anything but his trembling hands and thudding heartbeat.

"Louis? Are you okay?" Perrie asked cautiously.

"Just help me find him." Louis managed to say before turning around.

He heard Zayn call for him, but he was already walking into the forest, trying to contact Harry on his phone. 

"Harry!" Louis called out, feeling slightly dizzy as he made a three-sixty turn, his throat feeling dry.

Fuck. What if David already had Harry? What if he was taken away from him just under his nose? What if Harry was calling for him and he didn't fucking hear him. Louis felt like he could just throw up from all the stress and anxiety. He needed to find Harry now.

After what felt like hours of walking aimlessly around the forest and finding no sign of the boy, Louis was one tap away from calling Liam and telling him to organize a search party for Harry when he heard his voice—a surprised grunt. A cry of pain.

Louis was running before he knew where he was headed, his eyesight suddenly sharper and his legs moving faster than they usually did. It wasn't long until his eyes landed on a familiar figure in the distance—Harry crouched down on the ground with his back turned to him.

"Harry!"

Harry turned just in time as Louis practically threw himself on top of him, hugging him so tight he was convinced he'd squish the younger boy. Before Harry could even speak, Louis tightly held him by the shoulders, gaping at him like he'd grown a second head.

"What the fuck are you doing, Harry?" Louis practically exploded, the veins on the side of neck more prominent than ever.

Harry fish-mouthed, speechless from how Louis was acting. When he finally did speak, he was a stuttering mess. "Wha—I was just w-walking, then I tripped—"

"It's not safe out here! What makes you think you could just wander off like that?" Louis was seething, his grip tight around Harry's wrist.

"I'm sorry!" Harry said hysterically. 

"Well you fucking should be!"

Louis harshly dragged Harry back to the cabin despite Harry's pleas to stop. Harry might've sprained his ankle when he fell, and Louis dragging him along like this wasn't helping. When they neared the cabin, Zayn and Perrie saw them and ran towards them.

"What happened?" Zayn immediately asked, eyes travelling to Harry's tear-stained face.

"Louis, s-stop!" Harry tried.

Louis wasn't letting up, he continued pulling him along. Harry wasn't safe here. Louis was fucking stupid for thinking that they'd actually be safe and free at last. He was delusional.

"Hey! Let him go!" Perrie said as she caught up with them, seeing Harry's pained state.

Louis was too lost in his own thoughts to even realize he was hurting Harry. The next thing he knew, Zayn was shoving him harshly.

"Are you fucking listening?!" Zayn yelled.

Louis blinked once, turning from Zayn's rageful expression to Perrie's equally angered one, and then Harry—

"Shit!" Louis immediately let go of his tight grip on his wrist, pulling Harry into his chest. The boy was crying. Louis made him cry. 

Again.

"What the fuck is going on?" Zayn demanded, gently but effectively pulling Harry away from him.

Louis stared at Harry's terrified and confused expression and tear-filled eyes before burying his face into his palms. "I—fuck. I just got worried."

Zayn cursed again in exasperation, while Perrie began to rub Harry's back.

"Louis, get yourself together before I punch you for real." Zayn growled.

Louis ran his shaky fingers through his hair, slumping against a nearby tree. He let himself breathe for a second, reminding himself where he was, who he was with, and that Harry was fine. He was safe. David hadn't taken him.

Eventually, though, Louis slid down to the ground and sat there. Harry had stopped crying now, but he was heavily leaning against Zayn to avoid pressure on his left leg. Harry was watching him with worried eyes. Not anger or annoyance—not even a drop of it. After Louis' shit behavior, Harry still looked at him like that. It made him feel even worse.

"I'm sorry." Louis began, voice rough from all the shouting he'd done. "I thought you were gone, Harry. I was fucking scared."

Harry shook his head at that, avoiding his eyes. "We've talked about this. I told you there's nothing to worry—"

"But there is," Louis cut in, frustrated.

Harry watched him for a second, and then he was walking (half-limping) towards him, sitting down beside him. Louis looked at him, only now feeling the rush of relief that Harry truly was here, and he was safe. He was with Louis. They were fine.

"And what's there to worry about?" Harry asked gently.

Louis opened his mouth, but then stopped. He didn't think that telling Harry about David would do anything but worry the boy. Harry was looking at him expectantly, waiting for an answer.

"I—they said there were beasts here. I got very worried when I didn't see you immediately. I'm sorry." Louis lied.

Harry frowned. "Lou, you know beasts won't hurt me. You've seen for yourself."

Louis shrugged, unable to look him in the eye. "It slipped my mind."

When he looked back up, Harry didn't look convinced at all. But he must've realized that Louis wasn't going to say anything else, because he just nodded firmly, as though that would have to do for now.

"Harry," Perrie said softly, crouching down beside him, "how about we tend that sprained ankle inside? It'll heal quicker if it's given attention right away."

Harry glanced at him before reluctantly nodding at Perrie. Perrie helped him walk, throwing Louis a deathly glare when he moved to follow them.

"I think we should talk for a bit, Louis." Zayn said, giving him a pointed look.

Harry only spared one glance over his shoulder before they were inside the cabin. Zayn sighed loudly and sat down beside him, pulling out a cigarette. He smoked for a bit before smacking Louis upside the head.

Louis pursed his lips. "I deserved that."

"Good."

Again, Zayn took his time to smoke. Louis knew that most of the time Zayn smoked was because of stress. Louis was certain he'd give Zayn a lung cancer if he continued stressing him like this.

"Explain." Zayn said, puffing out a cloud of gray smoke from his mouth, watching as it dissapated into the air.

Louis swallowed. "It's David."

After a pause, Zayn said, "How'd you know?"

Louis turned to him with narrowed eyes. "So you know? About him being on the loose and causing trouble and threatening people?"

Zayn nodded as though it wasn't a big deal. "Everyone knows at the Fort. Niall, Liam, and I made sure not to let you know—"

"Why would you keep stuff like this from me?" Louis said fervently.

"After that stunt you pulled with David when you nearly killed him? Do you think we'd ever mention that man to you again? We knew you would act this way—which is why we didn't want to let you know in the first place." Zayn said in annoyance. "And it's not like we're not doing anything about it. They're handling it as best as they can, and Benedict has been informed. There's nothing to worry about."

"You know that's not true." Louis huffed, knowing very well that none of that would actually ensure anyone's safety. Especially Harry's.

Zayn puffed out another breath of smoke. "Let me rephrase, then. There's no use worrying about it."

They both fell silent after that. Louis soon asked Zayn for a stick, and then they just smoked there while leaning against a tree trunk, minds filled with too big thoughts to be turned into words.


	39. Chapter 39

When Harry said he could do something, he could do it.

It was as though he was trying to prove himself to everyone, to prove Benedict wrong. He was going to create this cure with Emily's help, and they were going to save thousands of lives. And nothing—not even Louis' unusual behavior could hinder that.

Okay, maybe Harry did speak to Perrie for a good hour about what was going on and how worried he was for Louis' outbursts, maybe even shedding a few tears. But that was it. It was no hindrance.

Harry was currently sitting on the cabin's wooden floor, surrounded by numerous stems, petals, and leaves of plants. Perrie was right beside him, refusing to leave him even after she'd tended to his sprained ankle. She was a true angel.

Emily was still busy standing over the cauldron, eyes flitting between Harry's journal and their laid-out ingredients and materials on the wooden table. Harry would never say it out loud, but he was nervous. Theoretically, their cure worked. It was backed up by pages and pages of research and sleepless nights, Harry had checked every single plant's component, he'd computed the exact measurements for every single liquid they'd be using, including the beasts' very own venom. He'd not only asked Emily to critic it and give suggestions, but Emily had also asked several other healers to look into it. Although those healers saw it as nothing but theoretical (since the ingredients were definitely near impossible to find), they still validated it and said it might be possible.

Might. Of course there was always a possibility of failure. But Harry wasn't ready for that. He didn't want this to fail. He'd been working on it for months, sacrificing his sleep and time with Louis to work on it. It just had to work.

"You okay there?" Perrie said, poking his side.

Harry shrugged. "Um. I'm fine."

"It's okay to be nervous, you know." Perrie said nonchalantly.

Harry narrowed his eyes at her. "Are you a mind reader?"

Perrie snorted. "No, genius. I'm a body language reader."

Harry sighed. "Touché."

The door swung open, and then Louis was slowly walking inside, his steps towards them quite hesitant. Harry watched him carefully, but it looked like he'd had enough time to cool down. 

Perrie groaned. "Ugh, the boyfriend's back. I'm out."

Harry smiled at her, which she responded to with a sweet kiss on the cheek. As she walked past Louis, though, Harry didn't miss her giving him the stink eye before finally leaving the cabin.

Louis was soon seated where Perrie was sitting with a reluctant smile on his face. Harry busied himself with the leaves.

"She's quite scary," Louis muttered, "but at least she's a good friend to you."

Harry began grouping the leaves together, slipping them into jars. "Yup."

He nearly dropped the jar when Louis gently grabbed his wrist, pulling the sweater's sleeve upward to reveal a forming bruise in the shape of Louis' fingers from earier. Louis retracted his hand from him, rubbing his face.

"I'm really really sorry. This is like the second time this has happened. I honestly have no excuse for my behavior, but I fucking swear I didn't mean to hurt you." Louis said quietly.

Harry tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. "I'll understand you more if you tell me what's going on. I know you're not telling me something."

Louis pressed his lips together. After a second too long, he said, "There's—nothing."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Fine. Lie to my face. Just make sure you'll tell me when you're ready to."

Louis opened his mouth to say something, but then Emily was ushering Harry over. In his hurry to stand up, he forgot his sprained ankle and nearly toppled into the ground, but Louis was quick to catch him.

"Let me help," Louis said as he swung Harry's arm over his shoulders and helped him move forward.

Louis watched in both amazement and confusion as Emily and Harry talked about herbs and ingredients and a lot of stuff with weird names. Louis recognized Harry's journal on the table, the one they were reading the ingredients and most of the processes off of. Louis quite smug with usefulness whenever Harry would move around and he'd serve as some sort of crutch to help him walk around, although it was partly his fault that Harry's sprain got this bad in the first place.

When they started tossing various ingredients in, though, Louis stuck by even though Harry had now found a stool and no longer needed him as a crutch. Sometime bewteen tossing a few leaves into the cauldron and a few drops of suspicious-looking black liquid, Louis noticed Harry's nervousness. He kept on biting his nails and kept on moving his leg up and down.

Louis placed a comforting hand on his thigh, catching Harry's attention. Louis gave him an encouraging smile, which Harry returned with as slightly nervous one.

"You're doing great, babe." Louis whispered into his ear.

Harry looked at him thoughtfully before saying, "Can you kiss me, please? It helps relax me."

Louis chuckled at the need of an explanation before leaning in and feeling Harry's soft, plump lips against his. They kept it sweet and simple, but even so, Harry was still a blushing mess afterwards.

"Thanks," Harry said bashfully, looking a lot loosened up now.

"Anytime, beautiful." Louis winked.

And so, that was how they spent the next few hours. Harry and Emily conversing and carefully adding new ingredients, checking the time and stirring at a certain speed, gradually adding water and—fuck, Louis didn't know brewing was this complicated. It only made him appreciate Harry's knowledge and talent in this area, watching him as he carefully did each step, precise and accurate.

Louis would stand behind Harry and massage his shoulders (ending it with a kiss on the neck) whenever Harry looked a bit to frustrated, or he would bring them glasses of water when they looked tired. Louis didn't feel all that tired at all—it was like a certain switch was turned on inside him ever since he'd learned about David, and now he felt like he could skip sleeping for nights straight just to be absolutely sure that Harry was safe.

At some point when it was getting dark outside, Zayn and Perrie came into the cabin carrying boxed take outs. Emily panicked when they got too close to the cauldron and shooed them away at an instant.

It was sometime during midnight when Harry asked Louis to bring over one of the potted plants on the floor—a flower with slightly transparent petals. Harry thanked him with a kiss on the cheek before plucking all the petals off and holding them in his palm over the boiling cauldron.

Emily gave him a reassuring nod, while Louis wrapped an arm around his waist from behind. He said, "Go on then, babe."

Harry smiled, finally letting the petals drop into the mix, which for some reason Louis knew was the most important part of the brewing. Harry had told him about that rare flower—the Lilian, which seeds he'd gotten from Anne's seashell necklace. Although Harry had made sure to replant more of the Lilians just to be sure, those still needed more time to grow, and the petals of the flower they used were of perfect health and age, as Harry had informed him.

After exactly twenty minutes of stirring, Emily put out the fire and let the mixture cool down. Harry gave Emily a tight hug, thanking her again and again.

"Oh, Harry. I was only here to help. You did most of the job." Emily said, laughing.

"Still," Harry pulled away and took her hand, "thank you for everything. Really."

That night (or morning, rather) they returned back to the mansion with a box filled with vials of pink liquid—Harry's very own cure for the beasts.

As they lay in Louis' bed, though, he noticed that Harry was definitely having trouble sleeping. His back was turned to Louis so that he was spooning him, but Louis could tell from his rapid breathing that he was still awake.

"Can't sleep?" Louis said, leaning up on his elbow to look at Harry.

Harry twisted around so that he was facing him, eyes distant and lips bitten. "I was just thinking."

"About the cure?" 

Harry nodded, tracing patterns on Louis' chest. "I mean, what if it doesn't work?"

"Then we'll try again," Louis said simply. "But I doubt it won't work. You have to believe in yourself, Haz. I watched you brew that, and for what it's worth, you seemed to know what you were doing. You took it to heart."

Harry's lips quirked upwards a bit. "Do you really think so?"

Louis nodded, kissing his forehead. "I'm sure, baby. Now, let's get some sleep so that we can test the cure tomorrow."

Harry nodded, his curls tickling Louis' nose. Louis wrapped him up in his arms, feeling Harry's breath against his neck. They fell asleep like that—two puzzle pieces slotted perfectly with one another.

*

Hunting for beasts when Louis used to work at the Fort was one thing. But searching for beasts with Harry by his side was an entirely different experience.

For starters, it was a lot harder now since David had blown up the Rock forest, where it would've been easiest to look for these creatures. Louis was also fairly sure that nearly half the population of beasts in their area had been either blown to bits by the explosion, or slowly poisoned and killed by its toxic effect.

They'd left the mansion at sunrise, driving through the early morning as Harry messed around with the radio. With one hand on the wheel, Louis other hand gripped Harry's thigh beside him, smiling when the boy put his hand on top of his.

"Let's go get some breakfast first?" Louis asked, only glancing momentarily at him before turning his attention back to the road.

"Yeah. I'm starving."

Louis quietly sighed in relief. He hadn't told Harry yet, but he wasn't really sure what the safest way to look for beasts and inject a drug in them might be. Louis was nervous, of course, he didn't want to put Harry in danger. And despite how much Harry never failed to show him how much he trusted him in keeping him safe, Louis still wanted a little bit more assurance and help.

Zayn was unfortunately unavailable today (Louis tried not to judge him when he'd learned that Perrie wasn't at Emily's either), so he'd called Liam and Niall. They said they would try to help, but nothing was for sure yet and that they'd get back to him since there apparently was a lot happening at the Fort.

Louis parked in front of a cozy-looking diner. Inside, there was a moderate amount of people, none of them paying the two boys any mind. They took up seats in a booth pressed against a wide window so that they could see the beautiful sunrise tinging the sky with orange and pink. While Harry's mouth fell open in awe and looked outside, Louis kept his eyes on the boy, looking just as stunned (or more) at the beauty before him.

Harry noticed him staring and immediately blushed. "Uh—let's eat?"

Louis leaned over to kiss his adorable nose. "Sure. What do you want?"

Harry's eyes lit up. "Pancakes and some hot choco."

Louis waited for a waitress to approach them, but when he got a little impatient, he stood up and ordered at the front instead. As he was about to return to where Harry was waiting, he caught a quick movement from outside where their car was parked. It seemed like a figure was lurking around, but then disappeared when Louis' faced towards that direction.

Louis was just about to step out and inspect it for himself but Harry was waving him over with a curious look on his face. Shaking his head as though to clear his thoughts, Louis stalked back to their booth.

They quickly ate their food as soon as it was served while Harry filled in the silence with various musings and stories that had Louis' stomach aching from laughter. On their way back to the car, Louis received a text from Liam apologizing that he and Niall couldn't leave the Fort today, asking him if he'd rather do it on any other day that they were free.

Louis stopped a few feet away from the car, pressing his phone against his ear as he waited for Liam to pick up. He watched as Harry clumsily fumbled with the keys, dropping it on the ground cursing. Louis chuckled, causing Harry to look over his shoulder and narrow his eyes at him.

"Go on, babe. I'm just going to talk to Liam." Louis told him, gesturing to his phone.

Harry playfully rolled his eyes at that and returned to the keys he was having so much trouble with. Louis huffed when the line continued ringing. What was going on at the Fort anyway? Liam wasn't picking up.

Giving up, Louis slipped his phone back into his pocket and took a step forward, freezing when he saw something—or someone.

There in the very booth he and Harry had sat in just a few minutes ago, was David. The man was wearing a hoodie jacket, eyes as dark as ever as he stared back at him through the window. His face was still slightly bruised from Louis' assault, and the fact that the wounds were fading away made Louis' blood boil. Maybe Louis could do something about it—maybe he could replace those old bruises with new gashes and scars.

Louis swallowed hard, hands fisting at his sides. David's expression was careless and nonchalant, but his eyes glinted mischievously. An ugly smirk slowly crept onto David's lips, which was more than enough for Louis to explode in rage and take a step towards the diner.

Before Louis could storm back into the diner and slam David's smug face into the table, though, David's eyes left his and drifted behind Louis. Following his gaze, Louis' blood ran cold as he realized that the man was watching Harry.

He abandoned the tough urge to attack David right then and there as the need to protect Harry washed over him. Louis practically ran back towards Harry who was now seated in the passenger seat, head bowed as he messed with his phone. Louis' heart skipped a beat when he spotted a certain pool of liquid gathering at the rear of his car. 

A stench of gas hit his nose, and right there in the middle of the gas puddle was a—

Fuck.

Louis was running before he could process anything, managing to glance at David's manic grin from the diner. 

"Harry! Get out of the car!"

Harry didn't move an inch—he was wearing earbuds. Louis reached his side of the car and threw the door open, yanking a startled Harry out of his seat. They both fell harshly to the ground, Harry falling on top of him with a pained grunt, but then Louis was rolling onto his feet immediately, practically dragging Harry who was still on his knees.

Louis' own frantic heartbeat was the only thing he was hearing, feeling like his heart would explode in his chest from how fast it was beating. Louis ran like their lives depended on it (which it did), dragging a stumbling Harry behind him.

"Lou, what—" Harry began with a strangled pant.

Just then, Louis heard a single click, and then he was throwing Harry to the ground, tumbling after him to drape his own body over the Omega. Louis stared at Harry's wide, terrified eyes just as the bomb went off right behind them with an ear-splitting bang, shaking the very ground beneath them.

Louis pressed up closer to Harry, making sure to cover every inch of his body as best as he could, pushing the boy's face into his chest and wrapping his arms around him. There was a low rumbling vibration, there was heat, sharp pain, the smell of burnt metal and gas.

Louis didn't move from his position on top of Harry as various debris and pieces of metal rained over them. Louis' ears rang, vaguely aware of Harry's heavy breathing beneath him, as well as his trembling body. 

When everything felt a lot calmer—Louis planted his forearms on either sides of Harry's head to look down at him. Louis' still couldn't hear anything, but he could see Harry's lips moving. Numbly, Louis wiped Harry's tear-stained cheeks, watching Harry's terror-filled eyes. He told Harry that they were fine despite not being able to hear himself.

Louis took his eyes off of Harry for the first time and took in their surroundings. Smoke filled the air, debris and chunks of what used to be his car littered the parking lot, some still burning up. With rageful eyes, Louis turned back to the diner where David had been sitting a moment ago.

But he was already gone.


	40. Chapter 40

When the explosion happened, Harry had squeezed his eyes shut, feeling Louis' warm body close all around him. In spite of the rumbling bangs and loud crashes all around them, all he could hear was Louis' thumping heart, and that alone was enough to calm him down.

Harry gripped hard onto his shirt, unconsciously sobbing in distress. When it was over, Harry could feel his entire body trembling. It was Louis' cold fingers against his skin that made him look up into his worried eyes—beautiful, sapphire eyes that were looking down at him with so much love and care in the world, Harry felt immediately at ease.

It was at times like these that Harry was reminded so much of how lucky he was to have Louis, feeling like the air got sucked out of him everytime. Without Louis—Harry didn't even want to think about what might've happened. 

"L-lou, are you okay?" Harry whispered, reaching up to touch his jaw.

Louis didn't seem to hear him. The Alpha looked around them, causing Harry to do the same. The place was a disaster—the very spot where their car had been mere seconds ago was now a pile of charred metal and burning cement. He felt Louis move off of him, immediately crouching down beside him to help him up.

"Are you hurt?" Louis asked instantly, touching around Harry's head and torso.

Harry shook his head belatedly, gripping onto Louis' strong arms as he helped him onto his feet. With shaky limbs, Harry leaned against Louis, who put an arm over his waist to support him.

"What—what happened?" Harry asked shakily, eyes scanning the smoke-filled parking lot. 

Louis' hand tightened around his hip. "I think we should get away from here for now."

Harry's ears were still ringing, the vibration of the explosion still trapped in his skull. He licked his chapped lips and threw his arm over Louis' shoulder—and at that point, he wasn't sure who was supporting who anymore.

They sat down on a bench a good distance away from a parking lot just as Harry felt like his legs would give out beneath him. Louis crouched down on the ground in front of him, inspecting his hands and legs as though there were some hidden scars somewhere.

Harry gasped when he saw blood trickling down the side of Louis' face, and right there on his temple, a small piece of metal was lodged in his skin. Harry ripped a piece of his shirt and dabbed gently at it to collect the blood. Louis hissed and bit his lip.

"We need to get you healed, Lou." Harry whispered, kissing his forehead and reaching for his phone.

Louis nodded silently, eyes distant as he stared ahead. It was clear that he was deep in thought, and though Harry was dying to find out what was going on in his head, he knew that rushing Louis wasn't the best thing to do. Especially in times like this.

In the silence, Harry could hear the crackling of the fire in the distance, as well as the howl of the wind rushing past them. Harry helped Louis sit down beside him, frowning when the Alpha just looked down at his lap with furrowed eyebrows.

Harry took his hand and squeezed, waiting for a reaction. None came.

With a quiet sigh, Harry unlocked his phone—all it got was a crack on the screen, but it still worked perfectly—and immediately called an ambulance, although someone might've already called due to the rather obvious explosion. Just as he was about to put the phone away, it began to ring as an incoming call came.

It was an unregistered number, but Harry answered anyway.

"Hello?" Harry said quietly.

"I hope I didn't shake you up too bad, princess."

Harry sucked in a breath, voice suddenly failing to work. He gripped the phone harder in his hand, swallowing as his heartbeat picked up.

"Don't worry, though, I never planned to really hurt you. I don't want your perfect skin getting scars and bruises." The familiar, cold voice said.

Harry was probably trembling now, because Louis turned to him as though he'd been awoken from his trance. "Baby? Haz, what's wrong?"

When Harry met Louis' eyes, he was able to breath just enough to move his phone away from his ear and in between them, wordlessly tapping the speaker button.

"I see you, Omega. I'm watching you right now. And I really can't wait to have my hands on you again. I can't wait until you're finally where you belong."

Louis angrily snatched the phone from his hand, trembling as he threw it to the ground and crushed it beneath his foot, cursing loudly. His jaw was clenched hard, a vein angrily protruding on his temple while both his hands were tightly balled at his sides.

"I'm going to fucking kill you!" Louis roared into the air, twisting in the spot as though he'd find the person it was intended for. 

Harry was at his side before he could even feel his legs, pulling Louis into a hug and breathing into his neck. He wrapped his arms over Louis' shoulders and began playing with his hair, leaving small kisses on his skin.

"Shh, Lou. It's okay. We're fine now." Harry whispered shakily, sighing when he felt Louis relax against him.

Louis wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and pulled his closer, breathing deep and hard. Harry just stood in his arms, not caring that his ankle still hurt so much that he felt like fire was burning inside it, or that he was dizzy and might've actually had hit his head hard from when he'd fallen to the ground earlier. None of that mattered because Louis needed him, and he was going to deliver.

"I swear it, Haz." Louis voice was dangerously calm, deeper than he was used to. "David is going to pay for this. He will."

Harry pressed their lips together and pulled away so that their mouths were merely hovering over the other. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"And I'm not going to let him do this to you either." Louis said firmly, holding Harry's face in his hands.

Harry was still in Louis' arms, staring up at his eyes when the ambulance finally arrived. Louis didn't allow anyone to separate them, so while Louis' wound on his temple was being treated and Harry was being checked for any concussions, their interlaced hands hung between them.

*

When they'd made it back to the mansion, Benedict had apparently heard of the news. To say Harry was surprised at Benedict's actions was an understatement—he felt like the entire world was flipped upside down when Benedict walked up to him and hugged him.

Yes, Benedict hugged him. Never in his sixteen years of living had this man shown the smallest act of affection or words. Harry was so shocked at the moment and only managed to freeze, pulling away hastily when he managed to move again. Benedict gave him a reluctant smile before giving Louis a firm pat on the back.

"If you don't mind," Louis said coldly, "Harry needs to get some rest."

Benedict stepped back from them, eyes traveling to Harry again. He opened his mouth to say something, but clamped it shut. With a sigh, he said, "If there's anything you need, I'll be in my office."

Louis didn't say another word as he gently pulled Harry along towards the staircase. When they'd made it to Louis' room, Harry went straight to the bed while Louis stood by the window, looking out into the forest. 

Harry couldn't help but worry. He knew just how much Louis wanted David gone. Harry didn't like that Louis would undoubtedly risk his own safety in the process of whatever he was planning, especially if his thoughts were fueled by anger. Harry quietly walked up behind him, wrapping his hands around Louis' torso and hooking his chin on the older boy's shoulder. Louis rested his hands atop Harry's, taking a deep breath.

"Lou, can you promise me something?" Harry said.

"What is it, baby?"

Harry took a deep breath. "Promise me that you won't do anything that might put you in danger. Please. I know you want to protect me, but I want to protect you too."

Louis massaged the top of his hands. "David isn't going to stop, you know that. Not doing anything won't make us any safer. He'll keep coming, and unless I do something about it, he's bound to win. You have to understand, Haz."

Harry shook his head. "I don't want you hurt. Please."

Louis turned around to face him, his face clouded with so much emotion. "Baby, I'm doing this for us. I'm your Alpha, and I'm going to protect you even if that's the last thing I'll do."

Harry's eyes teared up at that, pulling away as he said, "Don't say that."

Louis stepped forward and gently cupped his face, making him look into his eyes. "Your safety is my priority, Harry."

"Fuck my safety!" Harry suddenly yelled, shoving Louis' hands off him. "My safety means nothing if it will cost yours. I understand what's going on, Lou. David is a dangerous, crazy person and—I'm just so fucking scared! I can't let him hurt you, and I know he wants that. Please try to understand me too!"

Harry's voice wavered and broke a bit, unable to fight back this time when Louis pulled him into his arms once again, pressing his face into his chest. Louis didn't even say anything. He just rubbed Harry's back, his sides, kissed his curls and then his cheeks, and eventually his lips.

When they parted, Harry spoke softly, "When it comes between my safety or yours, I want you to choose yours—"

"Fucking hell, Harry." Louis snapped. "This isn't negotiable. Can we just not talk about this?"

Harry dropped his gaze onto the floor, nodding in defeat. He just got worried and paranoid sometimes, he couldn't help it. He would never forgive himself if Louis got harmed in the midst of all this.

"Baby," Louis said, voice soft this time as he tilted Harry's head to meet his eyes, "let's just get some rest, yeah? We're both tired."

Harry let Louis lead him to the bed, even let the Alpha change him out of his dirty, smoke-smelling clothes and into a fresh shirt and shorts. Louis changed his clothes as well, pulling Harry into him as they settled on the bed.

They didn't say anything as they lay there, but Harry knew that Louis was still very much awake. He let the steady beat of Louis' heart against his ear slowly lull him to sleep, convincing himself that they'd get out of this eventually. That it was all going to be fine—like Louis always said. 

Eventually, he was convinced. He wondered how long he'd believe it, though.

*

Louis woke up to a head of curls tickling his nose. Glancing at the clock, he realized it was only around two in the morning. He watched Harry for a bit, caressing his cheek and arms, but eventually rolled out of bed. He knew he wouldn't be getting any sleep now.

As he headed for the door, he hesitated. He looked back at Harry's figure wrapped in blankets and pondered on whether it would be wise to leave Harry, even just for a second. Eventually, he checked if the windows were locked and closed the curtains. He rummaged through his drawers until he found the key to his room, giving Harry a quick kiss before leaving the room and locking it behind him so that no one could go in unless they had a key.

Louis used the bathroom for a few good minutes before heading for the kitchen, his stomach rumbling at the idea of food. Just as he finished making himself a sandwich and a glass of water and was about to head back upstairs, he nearly dropped his food when he turned to find Benedict standing at the doorway.

"Fucking hell—" Louis startled, putting his food down on the counter top. "What are you doing here?"

It was odd to find Benedict anywhere else besides his office, and sometimes, the dining area. But other than that, Benedict looked like a fish out of water in his immaculate suit standing at the kitchen doorway, looking slightly uncomfortable himself. Louis wondered if the man ever stopped working, or if he ever changed out of his goddamn suits.

"Can I speak with you, Louis?" Benedict asked formally.

Too confused to think much of it, Louis just shrugged and sat down on the stool, taking a bite of his sandwich. He watched as Benedict sat down across him, looking like he was preparing for a speech for some very important meeting.

"What is it?" Louis prompted. He wanted to get back to Harry as soon as possible.

Benedict pressed his lips together and rested his elbows on the table. "I want to ask you about what happened earlier. With the explosion."

Louis narrowed his eyes. "For what reason?"

Benedict sighed as though he'd expected this. "Believe it or not, I don't want you or Harry to get hurt because of my mistakes with David. I want to end this before it gets worse."

Louis straightened his back and studied Benedict's face. The man looked tired, but he seemed honest enough. Plus, if this conversation with Benedict would lead to David's defeat and Harry's safety, then he'd gladly participate in it.

"Well, I saw him." Louis began slowly. "I think even way back, when Harry and I were at this gardening store. A dodgy tall man whose face was covered. I had my suspicions, but I didn't pay it any thought at that moment. And then earlier at the diner, he was right there, watching us. After the explosion, though, he was gone already."

Benedict nodded thoughtfully. "Was there any message he sent?"

"He did make a call on Harry's phone. Something about finally taking Harry for himself. All that disgusting bullshit." Louis said through gritted teeth.

Benedict rubbed his temples with his fingers, looking down on the table. Louis had lost his appetite and tossed his sandwich into the bin, gulping down his glass of water. Benedict was still deep in thought when Louis was done.

"You knew this was going to happen. It's all your fault." Louis said, his face filled with distate but his voice was even. "You know that David is a dangerous person to deal with. You must've heard all the stories about him. But you did it anyway. And instead of making sure he's jailed for good, you let him go but give him an abundance of reasons to get back at you by taking his men and stripping him off of his knighthood and other titles. That was a fucking idiotic move, even for you."

Benedict's expression remained neutral. Louis thought back to that one time he'd seen Benedict crack—how he'd cried and actually let himself look vulnerable in front of Harry. Louis wondered if he'd ever see that again.

"I needed his men. The city wouldn't make it without them. Everything was perfect with my arrangements with him, except for David himself. The council and I discussed that we could keep the missions and assignments running—but we needed to get rid of him." Benedict said.

"Yeah, we'll he's not going to sit back and watch everything he'd worked for completely slip out of his hands. He's going to take it all back, Benedict. But he's going to make it painful. And since you've promised him Harry, he wants to take him too." Louis said in barely contained anger, nostrils flaring. 

"I know." Benedict said quietly. "I'm going to fix this."

Louis scoffed. "Sure. Tell me what you know about David."

A pause, and then, "He's being backed up by a group of knights from their kingdom. They hate that we've ruined his reputation and made a mockery of their kingdom's hero. I've sent out men—not David's—to find him and bring him to me. So far, none have."

"And how do we protect Harry?" Louis said.

Benedict answered easily, "I've doubled our guards, tightened security. As long as Harry stays in here, David won't be getting anywhere near him. I'll make sure of it."

There was a certain determination in his voice that made Louis raise an eyebrow. He still didn't believe that Benedict was somewhat changing or being softer and more caring towards Harry since it didn't make much sense and looked like some act for hidden agenda, but his voice and set face made Louis doubt that for a second.

"Harry will want to go out, though." Louis said, rubbing his face. "He's still working on the drug, he needs to test it on a beast."

Louis watched Benedict's face closely. The last time they talked, he remembered very vividly how Benedict said he'd support Harry on his project. Any doubt he had that Benedict was lying disappeared when Benedict nodded with no hesitation and said, "I'll send my men to capture a beast for him. He can continue inside here, he doesn't need to go out."

Louis tried not to show a look of approval on his face. Instead, he stood up and put the dirty dishes away, walking past Benedict who was still seated towards the door.

"I hope you keep your word." Louis said.

Louis barely recognized Benedict's determined, honest voice when he said two simple words, "I will."

As Louis returned to his room and back in his spot right beside Harry, he wondered idly if Benedict truly was changing.


	41. Chapter 41

Harry didn't know how to react when a pair of caged beasts was presented to him like some sort of gift. They were currently inside one of the practice rooms, except its floor-to-ceiling windows were locked with its curtains closed. 

"Wha—how did you capture them?" Harry asked wildly, turning to Louis who was watching him.

Louis looked almost reluctant. "I, uh. It wasn't me. Benedict had it all arranged and had his men find them. I was just the one who happened to mention it to him."

"Oh." 

Harry stared at the two beasts while Louis nervously chewed at his lip. Harry turned to look at Louis, who immediately avoided his gaze and looked at the ground.

"You aren't mad, are you?" Louis asked.

Harry frowned. "Uh, why would I be?"

"Because you hate Benedict and I asked help from him for you which would technically make you owe him something, and maybe you don't really want his help—" Louis said.

Harry actually huffed out a laugh before walking over to him and touching his cheek. "Shut up, you idiot. I'm not mad. It's fine, really, I'm just surprised he really helped."

Louis sighed in relief, nodding. "Yeah. I was surprised too."

After that, Harry wasted no more time and asked Louis to fetch a few vials of the cure from his room, along with Harry's medical kit. Louis quickly did as told, not wanting to leave Harry alone in a locked room with two beasts for so long. When he returned, though, his nervousness was replaced by awe and ease.

Harry was sitting cross legged on the ground in front of the now empty cage. One of the beasts lay its head on his thigh, while the other was nuzzling into his side. Harry was talking quietly with a small, content smile on his face as he ran his fingers through their fur.

"Here you go," Louis said to announce his presence, waving the bag he was holding in front of Harry's face.

"Thanks," Harry said with a smile, but Louis didn't miss the way his lips twitched nervously. "Let's, uh, do it then?"

Louis gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze. "I'll be right here, baby. You're going to do great."

Harry gave him a tight smile before standing up and dusting his jeans. He rummaged through the bag Louis had brought, pulling out a syringe and a vial of the cure. The beasts were milling around, curiously watching them. Harry took a shaky breath.

"C'mere," Harry said as he extended his arm to one of the beasts, who quickly obliged. "Listen, I'm going to inject something into your body, okay? It's—don't freak out, but I made it myself and please trust me that I have good intentions. I want to help cure you."

The beast looked at him with calculating eyes, and Louis had to remind himself that these creatures actually did understand them. Or at least a part of them did. 

Harry looked even more anxious now, which was why Louis took his slightly shaking hand and pressed it to his lips. Harry's eyes immediately lit up and lost a bit of its nervousness, smiling at Louis gratefuly. The beast then began nuzzling its head into Harry's leg—which, well, was the best type of confirmation they could get.

Harry went down on his knees and began feeling the beast's back, swallowing visibly as he raised his other hand which was clutching the cure-filled syringe. Harry let out a shaky breath before mumbling incoherently and pressing his lips together in concentration as he began pressing the tip of the needle into the creature's skin.

Louis was at his side the entire time, keeping a firm hand on his waist and pressing up against his side to remind Harry that he wasn't alone in this, and that Louis believed in him. He wasn't sure how his touch alone could accurately convey that, but it seemed to work.

The beast barely reacted to the injection. Harry put the syringe down on the table and looked to Louis nervously, biting his nail. Louis pulled him to his side and kissed his cheek.

"You did great, Haz." Louis said, watching as the beast continued walking around like nothing happened.

"Emily says it might take days or weeks at most. She told me that the potion had to be properly absorbed by the entire body first before it shows any effect." Harry said nervously.

"That's good. We'll watch over them, yeah? It'll all go as planned." Louis said assuringly.

Harry soon called over the second beast and spoke to it quietly while Louis stood behind him. Harry picked up the syringe again and filled it up with the pink liquid, turning to Louis almost shyly and offering it to him.

When Louis continued to look at him with a confused expression, Harry explained, "I thought it would be nice if you did the honors, too. You have no idea how much you've helped me through all this, since none of this would've happened without you. I want you to experience it too."

Harry looked so nervous and doubtful that Louis just had to kiss his beautiful mouth. "Of course, Haz. I'd love to."

Louis was a lot more calmer than Harry when he injected the drug into the second beast, only huffing out a breath when it was done.

Then that was it. All they needed to do was to keep a close eye on the beasts for the next few days and see what would happen.

*

David had gotten used to the lush and luxurious life he'd had for years that he could barely stand the dingy apartment that smelled of cat piss he'd found himself in.

He stared out of the window, face twisted in a grimace as maid brought in a tray of food, placing it on the table beside him. David's mouth curled into a sneer as he glanced down at its contents—a single plate of rice and a malnourished fish which looked barely cooked.

"What is that?" He said flatly.

The maid seemed surprised that he was talking to her, her brown eyes widening comically since he never really bothered before. "Oh, it's your lunch, Sir."

"I fucking know it's my lunch!" David snapped, shoving the tray off the table and sending its contents crashing onto the already ground. "And if you expect me to eat that garbage, then you're an imbecile!"

The maid cowered back, her eyes filled with utter fear. "I'm sorry, I'll m-make you another,"

David watched as the woman crouched down in front of him to pick up the shattered pieces of porcelain glass, shakily dropping them onto the tray. David shook his leg impatiently, watching the woman's hair slip out from her bun and falling over her face in curly strands. David's hands tightened around his chair—those curls looked too familiar. When she looked up though, her eyes weren't a boring brown anymore, but a brilliant green—wide, bright and innocent.

David sucked in a breath, swallowing as the maid stood up with the tray in her hands, heading for the door. Before she could get too far, David stood up and grabbed her wrist, twisting her around to face him.

"Where do you think you're going?" David said slowly.

Once again, all he saw was a pair of green eyes. "T-to make you a decent meal, Sir."

David hummed, his hand trailing upwards to play with those luscious, chocolate curls. She was saying something, but all David could see were those full lips—perfectly shaped and always impossibly pink. Suddenly, the person before him wasn't a mundane maid anymore—but a beautiful Omega, one that belonged to him.

"Tell me, Harry, did you really think you'd escape? That you and your family can ruin my life and expect that I won't do anything about it?" David hissed, distantly hearing the tray fall back onto the ground.

"Sir, please—" It was Harry's voice, low and deep.

"Shh," David hushed, grabbing his other wrist and clutching it so tightly that he whimpered, "you can make it up to me, princess."

"I'm not—please, I'm just a maid!" He wailed, trying to pull away.

This only angered David even more. He slammed Harry into the wall, smirking when he heard a crack accompanied by a cry of pain. Those beautiful emerald eyes were tearing up now, looking up at him in utter fear. This only made David feel more powerful.

"You are mine, Harry." He whispered as he let his lips graze the Omega's earlobe. "And I won't stop until you finally get that into that pretty little head of yours, understand?"

Harry was sobbing, nodding fervently. "P-please just let me go,"

David laughed humourlessly, eyes dangerous. "That's where you're mistaken. You're to be mine forever. You will serve me whichever way I please, provide me a son to carry out my name and reputation as the bravest and strongest knight to ever exist—and you will not complain even once."

David pulled at his hair harshly, causing a choked sob out of the boy. With his other hand, he touched Harry's slightly parted lips. Without another thought he surged forward, harshly attacking his soft lips, relishing in the shocked gasp and pained whimpers coming from his mouth.

He grabbed Harry's jaw and forced his face upward for a better angle, hungrily and messily probing his tongue inside, not giving the boy time to breath or a chance to pull away. David felt like he was buzzing with power—Harry was his. He had been promised to him, along with glory and wealth. Benedict Winter had destroyed his life's work and legacy with just a few, casual words—throwing him from the peak of the world to the very bottom. If Benedict and his sons thought that David would just give up and watch cowardly as they made a mockery of him every single day, then they were gravely mistaken.

Harshly, he dragged Harry across the room and onto the bed, smiling manically as the boy trembled in fear, scooting back and pleading for him to stop. That's it, go on. David loved the sound of his cries and pleas, his beautiful green eyes glassy, red cheeks stained with tears. David roughly shoved him on his back, climbing on top of him and holding the boy's wrists over his head with one hand. Harry's sobs were muffled by the older man's own filthy mouth as David ripped his clothes off.

David removed his own clothes, and then he was roughly pushing himself into Harry, only being urged forward by the boy's pained wail. All that could be heard in the room was David's grunts of pleasure while the person beneath him writhed in pain and terror, sobbing weakly into the bed, body roughly rocking back and forth.

When David was done, he casually stood back up and got dressed, smiling as Harry continued to sob and whimper pathetically. Good. This was how it was going to be between them for a long time, so he'd better get used to it.

When David turned back, though, he froze as his eyes landed on a naked woman in his bed. Harry was gone. Blood boiling, David grabbed the stranger by the arm and forced her onto her feet while she flinched away and continued crying.

"Where is he?!" David roared, forcing the girl to look at him but she kept her eyes squeezed shut and her head bowed. "Where did you bring him?!"

The girl trembled even harder, sobbing and hiccuping as she stuttered hysterically, "I d-didn't so anything—I swear I don't know w-what you're talking about!"

David clenched his jaw, shoving her harshly into the ground. "Get the fuck out of my face!"

The girl stumbled as she practically ran out of the room, naked and all. When the door slammed behind her, David grabbed the nearest object—a bottle of wine—and threw it at the wall, yelling angrily as he watched it break into small pieces and splatter red liquid all over the wall and the carpet.

He pulled at his hair, feeling the entire world crumble around him. Harry wasn't here because he hadn't gotten him yet. Because he was still in that goddamn mansion with the Winters, probably laughing at him, feeling like he'd won. 

David took a deep, shaky breath and walked back to the window, looking out in the jam-packed city where every corner was filled with buildings and towers. It was so different from the endless fields of green and the wide expanse of blue, clear skies back at home. 

It won't be long, he told himself. Only a few more things had to be done, and then he'd be returning to the kingdom even more wealthy and glorious than he'd last been. But first, he had to make a few people pay, and had a few things which rightfully belonged to him to take.

There was a firm knock on the door followed by the sound of footsteps approaching him. David kept his eyes outside the window, his mind wandering to that mansion. 

"Everything's set, Sir." A voice told him.

David sighed, letting his shoulders relax. "Bring him in."

There was shuffling and movement behind him, followed by a low grunt and a loud thud. David finally turned around, eyes landing on a tied up and blood-covered man kneeling on the ground. David went down on his knees to remove the gag in his mouth, flinching ever so slightly when the man spat on his face.

"Let me fucking go," he growled.

David calmly wiped the spit with a handkerchief before standing up. He raised his hand and promptly brought it back down, the back of his hand colliding with the man's face, which sent him to collapse onto the ground.

"Now," David said, crossing his arms. "I need your cooperation. You seem like a dumb piece of fuck, but I hope you'll learn from your mistakes. You will help me whether you like it or not, or I'll kill you. Slowly and painfully. As simple as that."

David grabbed him and forced him onto his feet. "Now. What's your name?"

Silence. David punched him hard in the gut, but a pair of men kept him standing up. 

"I asked you a question."

Again, silence. David continued delivering punches a few more times, until finally, the man gave in after a particularly body-rattling hit in the ribs.

"Jaron," he breathed out.

David smiled. "Well, nice to meet you Jaron. Another question: how do you know the Winters?"

Jaron kept his mouth shut, and David was just about to backhand his face again when he said, "I used to w-work for them. I was a trainer to Harry."

David nodded thoughtfully. "And I'd guess you know a whole lot of useful information about them and the mansion, then?"

Jaron didn't respond, so David grabbed a piece of wood beside him and slammed it into his chest. Blood spurted out from his mouth, followed by a pained wheeze of, "Y-yes,"

David nodded in satisfaction, turning to the man behind him—Carlos, one of the very few loyal knights who'd come to his aid after Benedict's verdict. "Sqeeze out all the information you can from him. Torture him, but don't touch his face. We might need it."

"Yes, Sir." 

A few moments later, he was alone in the room again. He continued to stare out of the window, almost certain that he could see the small speck of a building in the distance that must be the Winter Mansion.

"You have no idea what's coming for you." David said, his eyes twinkling in malice.


	42. Chapter 42

A few days later, Louis had spent most of his time by Harry's side, accompanying him as he visited the beasts in the practice room, feeding them and taking care of them. 

So far, Louis couldn't see that much of a physical difference yet, but they did start acting less...animalistic. They would just lay around, not even in the mood to eat raw meat. Instead, Harry brought them cooked meat, which they happily munched on. Their fur seemed to be falling off as well, though they seemed a lot weaker and disoriented. Louis knew they needed to give the cure more time to take effect, having to reassure Harry again and again that he wasn't killing the beasts, and that they just had to be patient.

They were currently eating lunch now, or at least Louis was. Harry simply played with his food, nervously biting his lip. Louis knew that he was nervous about the cure and all that, and no matter how many times Louis reassured him, Harry would still inevitably think of it. 

After a few moments of silence, Louis said casually, "Haz, do you want to watch a movie in our room? We can bring our food up there."

Harry gave him a small smile. "That actually sounds nice. I haven't seen a film in a while."

"Great," Louis said as he stood up, taking Harry's hand to help him stand up as well. Louis asked the maids to bring up their foods for them before dragging Harry upstairs.

Louis set Harry down on their bed as he set up the TV, arranging their food properly on the table as the maids brought it in. After picking the latest movie he could find and putting it in the DVD player, he joined Harry in the bed and wrapped his arms around the boy, pulling him close so that Harry's back was pressed to his chest.

Louis had to urge Harry to eat several times before his plate was finally empty. After putting their dirty dishes aside, they shifted around to get into a proper cuddling position. They were soon lying down with Louis spooning Harry from behind, inhaling the wonderful scent of his hair and his skin as rubbed Harry's arm up and down soothingly.

This routine went on for a few more days—Louis comforting Harry and trying to get the Omega's mind off of the cure to lessen his stress, while Harry just melted into his every touch and let Louis loosen him up. Louis would always accompany Harry whenever he'd visit the beasts (aside from the fact that he still didn't fully trust beasts, Louis worried that some things could go wrong because of the potion and cause the beasts to be even more feral, but luckily, none of that happened), never forgetting to reassure him that everything was going to be fine.

It wasn't until a few more days later during a particularly rainy night, Louis calmly stroking Harry's arm as the boy let out small puffs of breath into his chest that something eventful happened. The couple were watching a Disney movie (as suggested by Harry) for the night, and as always, Harry fell asleep before the film even finished. Louis was busy admiring the soft curl of his thick lashes against his milky skin, and his beautiful slightly parted lips when he heard a loud howl.

Instinctively, Louis sat up on the bed, effectively knocking Harry off of him and launching the boy onto the floor. Harry glared at him through messy curls, grumbling incoherently about a wonderful dream he was having.

"Sorry, baby." Louis was immediately by his side on the floor, kissing the top of his head which seemed to have hit the floor. "I heard something. From the practice rooms, I think."

Harry's eyes widened at that, "Oh—so the beasts? What do you think—"

Then came another one, a sound somewhere between a deep bellow and a pained grunt. Louis and Harry stared at each other for a moment, and then Harry was stumbling onto his feet, racing towards the door.

"Harry! Wait for me!" Louis called out, nearly tripping several times as he ran after the younger boy.

Louis barely caught up with Harry's long strides, but in a few moments, they were standing before the practice room. Harry reached out to open the door but Louis was quick to stand in front of him.

"Stay behind me," Louis whispered, pushing Harry's hand aside so that he could push the door open.

Harry made an indignant huff but did as told, peeking over Louis' shoulder as the Alpha carefully reached for the keys and unlocked the door. Before Louis could even twist the key, the door swung open on its own after a hard gush of wind. Both of them stepped backwards in surprise.

"It's...unlocked?" Harry asked cautiously.

Louis nodded, keeping a firm hand around Harry's wrist. "Stay here, Haz. I'm going to check inside."

"I'm coming too!" Harry whisper-yelled.

"I know, I'll call you in when it's safe." Louis said sternly, giving the boy a pointed look.

Harry reluctantly nodded and stepped aside as Louis walked into the room. Louis kept his footsteps light as he walked inside, eyes widening when he took in the mess of the room. The curtains had been torn off and now littered the floor, couches ripped to shreds, and walls indented with long, claw marks. The raging storm outside accompanied by the howling wind didn't ease the aura at all, merely making the room look even more sinister everytime lightning would flash across the black sky and create shadows inside the room.

"Louis? Are you—oh my goodness," Harry's small voice came form behind him.

"They're not here. They might be somewhere inside." Louis said.

"Let's look for them." Harry said in determination, but Louis didn't miss the slight tremor in his voice.

"Yeah, let's do that." Louis said softly, pressing a kiss to his forehead and leading him outside the room.

Minutes went by, and Louis turned down every suggestion Harry made about splitting up to cover more ground. He wouldn't let Harry leave his side in any circumstance, much less considering the situation they'd found themselves in right now. They'd looked through all the rooms on the first floor, but there was no sign of either of the beasts. They went upstairs, and then up the third floor again-but there was still nothing.

At one point, Harry stopped walking and leaned on the wall to look out the window which was covered in rain and fog. Louis could see his lower lip trembling ever so slightly, so he stood beside him and pulled him to his side, sighing when Harry buried his face into his neck with a sniffle.

"I messed up. They've definitely become worse. What if they end up hurting someone?" Harry whispered.

Louis shook his head, carding his fingers through his curls. "Hey, we'll figure this out. We'll find them and we'll sort it out. Don't be so hard on yourself."

Harry let out a deep breath. "Y-yeah. Okay."

After another round of searching the place, Louis decided to head back to their room. He planned to let Harry sleep first, and then he'd return to finding the beasts, perhaps even ask for help from Zayn and the others. When they stepped into their room though, it was significantly colder. Louis noticed that one of the windows had been thrown open, letting chilling gushes of storm wind to surge into the room and ruffle the curtains and papers that were scattered on the desks.

"Well shit." Louis muttered as he crouched down to pick up the papers that were now on the ground. Afterwards, he closed the window and made sure to lock it.

"Harry?" Louis called out, turning around to scan the room. He found the boy standing by the bathroom's door, back turned to him.

Curious, Louis walked towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Everything alright, love?"

He frowned when he took in Harry's wide eyes and shocked expression. Following the boy's gaze, his eyes landed on something in the bath tub—or a pair of people, rather.

Curled in on themselves, wrapped in towels were two strangers Louis had never seen in his life. The girl looked up, her hair damp and skin pale. The boy beside her didn't look any healthier, teeth chattering together due to the cold, lips dry and cracked.

"Who—who are you?" Louis said, instinctively stepping in front of Harry.

To his surprise, the girl smiled. "My name's Ashley. This is Carl. We owe you our lives."

Realization dawned on him, and then before he could think anything else to say, Harry was pushing past him and crouching down beside the tub, eyes wide in wonder.

"It w-worked? Are you—is this real? What do you remember?" Harry stuttered.

The boy—Carl, as he'd been introduced—sat up a little straighter and wrapped the towel tightly around his shoulders. "It's all a haze when I was a beast. All I could remember were certain sensations, like the smell of blood, the taste of something warm and soft, hunger, fear. Pain. And then I could remember your faces, Harry and Louis. How the both of you always came in with food, and how you always spoke to us asked us how we were. I couldn't answer back then, but I really wanted to."

Louis was now beside Harry, arm snaking around his waist. 

"It was really painful," Ashley chimed in, a thoughtful look on her face. "When we changed. Changed back to our true selves. I was just so confused and scared that I had to get out of that room, and Carl just followed me around. I chose to hide in this room because the scent reminded me of the both of you. Made me feel safe."

Louis just stared, still unable to absorb everything. But then Harry was smiling, eyes watery as he pulled Ashley and Carl into a hug, mumbling incoherently. Louis felt his lips curl into a smile. His heart felt heavy with pride, throat still dry out of disbelief but he felt warm all over, so content and happy. Watching Harry like this, witnessing everything he'd worked on for turn out successful was enough to cause a few tears to tumble down his cheeks.

"It worked!" Harry said, turning back to him and throwing his arms over his shoulders. "We healed them!"

Louis was laughing but tearing up all the same. He wrapped his arms tightly around Harry, looking at Ashley and Carl over his shoulder. The two looked young, probably around Harry's age, and they were both smiling despite their obvious fatigue. 

"Alright, Haz." Louis pulled away to kiss him swiftly. "Let's give these two some clothes and a proper meal, shall we?"

Harry nodded giddily, looking revived and breathless as he helped Ashley and Carl out of the tub, talking non-stop and excitedly about what Louis could only guess. 

That night, not even the raging storm outside could dim the powerful spark in Harry's eyes or Louis' glowing aura, because this was a milestone both of them, especially Harry, had once merely dreamed about. The cure had worked, and Harry's mission of saving hundreds and thousands of lives was well underway.

And Louis was going to make sure that he was at Harry's side through it all.


	43. Chapter 43

The gentle sound of the gravel crunching underneath the wheels was a little bit comforting as they silently drove past thick clumps of trees and houses, turning them into nothing but a blur of various swirling colors from where Harry was looking out the car window.

It was a miracle, to say the least, that Louis had agreed to Harry's insistent request of leaving the mansion after weeks of being locked up in that place. Don't get him wrong—Harry understood that Louis only wanted to protect him, considering that David was out there possibly plotting something against them, but he really just needed to do this one thing. Luckily, Harry was quite a good kisser and managed to make Louis say yes during a particularly heated make out session, so.

Even so, Louis definitely planned to hold onto his role as Harry's protector (he told Harry repeatedly that he didn't see Harry as weak—quite the contrary, really—but that it gave him comfort to know that he was looking out for him) and was now currently seated beside Harry, eyes alert and observant as the car turned towards a small road with occasional houses along the sides.

"Hey," Harry said, taking Louis' hand in his to catch his attention, "we're fine. There's like an entire army here to protect us. I want you to relax too, you know. You deserve it."

Louis sighed, because well, Harry was right. He'd talked to Benedict and asked for escorts to accompany them on their trip just to be sure. Benedict had come through and now several cars were trailing after them and driving ahead of them. Louis knew that Harry might find it a bit exaggerated, but Louis still felt nervous and kept on wondering if he'd made a right decision after all by risking Harry's safety like this.

"I know. I'm sorry." Louis said.

Harry just smiled and leaned over to press a sweet kiss on his lips before turning back to look out the window, a content smile decorating his face. Eventually, Louis did somehow relax, though he still kept his eyes peeled and his weapons at the ready in case of any threats and dangers that could come their way.

After nearly half an hour, they finally arrived at their destination. Louis stepped out of the car first and jogged around to Harry's side, opening the door for him like the proper gentleman he was. Harry hopped off the car with a dopey grin on his face, and Louis just couldn't help but kiss those stupidly beautiful lips.

"You ready?" Louis asked, tangling his fingers with Harry's.

Harry bit his bottom lip and nodded, curls bouncing. "Yup. Let's go."

Harry had never been to a cemetery before, but he was grateful that Louis was beside him right now, his warm and comforting arms wrapped around his. They walked past rows of grey tombstones, some with fresh or withered vases of flowers, while others were simply empty, as though it hadn't been visited in years. Harry's heart ached at the idea of that but brushed his thoughts away, instead looking ahead and searching for a particular name.

Emily had been the one to tell Harry about where he could find where his mother had been buried, and as soon as he'd learned, he'd nagged Louis non-stop to go here. 

As they walked, Louis squeezed his hand comfortingly, which only urged Harry forward. Eventually, they stopped in front of a large tombstone which looked very well-kept and clean. Harry looked over his shoulder to find several guards standing a good distance away to protect them. Louis gave him a reassuring smile and beckoned him towards the tombstone. With a nervous nod, Harry let go of his hand and crouched down in front of the stone where Anne's name was engraved.

"Hi, Mom." He began a bit awkwardly, twiddling his thumbs. "It's me. Harry. I just—I'm sorry I never visited before. I don't have any excuse for it, really. Emily told me all about you. You guys were great friends, apparently."

Getting a bit more comfortable, Harry sat down on the grass and crossed his legs. "I guess I came here because I want to thank you. Because we have a certain victory to share, Mom. I guess the need to create a cure is in our blood, isn't it?"

Harry shook his head to himself, smiling a bit. "I did it, Mom. Actually, no, we did it. Me, Emily, Louis, and you. I finished what you started and I wish you were here to witness it all. I owe you so much."

He felt a hand on his shoulder and immediately leaned into the touch, smiling up at Louis. He waited for Louis to sit down next to him before he took his hand and intertwined their fingers and raised their joined hands into the air, proudly showing it off.

"This is Louis, by the way." Harry began, eyes twinkling. "He's my Alpha. I'm in love with him and I'm quite sure I want to have his children in the future."

Louis laughed in amusement, pulling Harry closer to him and kissing his knuckle. "Nice to meet you, Anne. I promise I'll take care of him. I'm the luckiest man alive to have him, and I only want what's best for him."

Harry makes a show of leaning closer to the tombstone, as though he was listening. "What's that, Mom? Oh. She says it's nice to meet you too and that she already loves you."

This earned him a tight hug from Louis as he giggled into Louis' neck. They stayed there and spoke for a few more minutes, barely aware of anything else beyond their small circle when they felt a presence behind them.

Harry's smile slowly disappeared as he looked up to find Benedict standing beside them, a bouquet of flowers in his hands. Louis and Benedict seemed to share a knowing look, although Louis looked quite annoyed, which caused Harry to frown deeper.

"Lou?" Harry said when Louis began standing up.

"Haz, I'll be right standing right there. Just call me and I'll be right here at your side." Louis said, giving Benedict a particularly threatening look before walking away.

Harry just looked down at his lap as Benedict placed the flowers down and settled himself beside Harry. For a moment, all that could be heard was the ruffle of leaves overhead and the hum of the wind. Eventually, Harry sighed and turned to Benedict.

"What are you doing here?" He said flatly.

There was a pause, and then, "When I heard you were planning to visit, I decided to come along. It's been a while since I've last visited, anyway."

"And why's that?" 

Harry expected him to say something along the lines of 'I've been busy' and that sort, but he was surprised to hear what the man truly had to say.

"It hurts everytime. Hurts more despite how impossible it seems. When your bonded Omega dies, they take a part of you with them. I feel the hollow space in me even more every time I visit and am reminded of her memory. It's painful enough to change me. Gradually, that's what I believe has happened." Benedict said softly, voice bare and raw.

Harry kept his eyes on his lap when he asked with the most casual tone he could muster, "Is that why you hate me? Because I remind you of her and it hurts you?"

Benedict shook his head. "As I said before, I don't hate you. But yes, you remind me of her. In so many ways, sometimes I think it's her in front of me instead of you. And sometimes I get mad at her for leaving me—and I take it out on you no matter how undeserving you are. But every single time I only feel even more terrible after. I just—sometimes I don't understand myself."

Benedict opening up like this and exposing his own weaknesses was definitely something new to Harry. There was something in Benedict's barely recognizable voice and tone that made Harry push his anger and bitterness aside in favor of actually trying to understand.

"What made you change your mind then?" Harry asked, glancing up at him momentarily. "About suddenly apologizing to me and acting like a decent person for once?"

Benedict played with the grass by his feet and plucked absently, eyes trained on the far horizon. He looked young like this—body and posture relaxed, wearing a casual T-Shirt for once. The gentle sunlight washed over his wrinkled face, though his clear and calm eyes made him look ten years younger and unlike his usual self.

"I had a dream." He began, voice inching even lower. "Usually, I had nightmares about the day Anne died. Which is why I try to avoid sleep as much as I could. But this time—it was a somewhat happy and peaceful dream that I didn't even want to wake up. It was the three of us, and we were a normal family. No beasts, no wars to fight, no grieving. Just us as a small family, living in a comfortable cottage by the river. Everything felt so light and airy, like I was floating. Everything was so different. And I realized that I loved it there and that I've never felt so at peace. But then I wake up and—" he paused, taking a deep breath, "only to be reminded that of course it's a dream. I felt like a fool. But slowly, I realized that I can still make that dream happen. Maybe not exactly as I'd dreamt of, but as close as possible. Maybe this family would be missing a mother, but there's still you. Maybe not the circumstances where we lived in an unproblematic, ideal world, but the very core of it—you being happy. When I found out that you'd got caught in the explosion and your life was at risk, I got genuinely terrified for the first time in so long. I wondered if I'd lose you too. I still fought back, though, and tried not to let anything affect me but I couldn't anymore. I realized a lot of things, but the main realization I had was that Anne would've loved you so much, and she would've wanted the world for you. But she isn't here to do that, so the least I could do was to make sure you are happy."

Harry was speechless, not really knowing what would be the most appropriate thing to say. He just stared at the man beside him, wide-eyed and utterly surprised.

"I would've called off the deal with David even if he didn't bomb the forest because I know he's not the Alpha you want to be your mate. And I really am sorry for that. For everything." Benedict said, finally turning to look at him, eyes glossy.

Harry opened his mouth to say something, but Benedict cut him off. "I know I'll have to work harder for your forgiveness if you could ever give it to me. And I understand if it will never happen. You have all the right to loathe me, and I'm delusional for even asking for forgiveness. But I just want you to know that I mean it. I really do."

All Harry could do was stare as he felt his eyes well up with unshed tears, while Benedict stood up and gave him a small, wistful smile. He walked away and gave Louis a small nod, and then it was Louis by his side, wrapping his arms around Harry.

"You okay Haz?" Louis asked softly, running his fingers through Harry's hair.

"I—I don't know what just happened," Harry muttered. "I just—can we go home?"

Louis immediately nodded, helping him onto his feet. He spared Anne's tomb a single glance over his shoulder before they walked back to where the cars were parked. 

The ride home was silent and heavy, the only thing calming being Louis' warm embrace and his hand wrapped around Harry's.

"Thank you for today, Lou." Harry whispered, twisting around so that he could slot his body with Louis' and bury his face in Louis' neck.

"Don't have to thank me." Louis said warmly.

At some point, Harry fell asleep, lulled by the car's gentle movement and comforted by Louis' scent and warmth.

*

Benedict had come through with his promise and sure enough, a group of Master Healers were going to arrive at the mansion in a few moments to meet with Harry and discuss the cure. If all things went well, Benedict would have his men stop killing the beasts and capturing them instead so that they could be healed with the help and assistance of more healers in the city.

Harry was nervous, to say the least. He had asked Emily to join him during the presentation, but he was still jittery and unfocused. He worried that he'd get something wrong or maybe forget something important and then it would be all over. And of course, Louis was there to reassure him every five seconds, and eventually shut him up and relaxed him by kissing him.

Right now they were standing in front of the door, waiting for their guests to arrive. Niall, Zayn, and Liam were here too, standing patiently while Harry fidgeted around and looked about ready to faint even with Emily fanning his face beside him and Louis wrapping a secure arm around his waist.

It wasn't long until a van finally pulled up in front of the house, and then the doors were thrown open. Five people in green robes strode inside, faces half-hidden beneath a balaclava which was the usual uniform of Master Healers. They all shook hands and formally introduced themselves.

Eventually, the Master Healers were led to Benedict's office and seated along the table there. Ashley and Carl were inside the office as well, two pieces of evidence that would prove the drug's effectiveness. Louis watched as Harry bit his lower lil nervously, squeezing his hand reassuringly.

"You'll do fine, baby." Louis said.

"Why can't you go inside?" Harry whined.

Louis chuckled lightly. "It's a discussion about the cure between healers, I'm not exactly needed there. Besides, Emily will be there with you. You'll be fine."

Harry sighed in defeat. "Fine. But as soon as we're done, I demand a cuddle."

"Deal."

They parted with a sweet kiss on the lips. Louis gave him a small wave as Harry finally slipped into the room and closed the door.

Louis honestly didn't know what to do anymore when Harry wasn't at his side, so he just paced back and forth in front of the office, hands stuffed into his pockets. It wasn't until Zayn finally approached him that he stopped.

"Are you his boyfriend or his bodyguard? Come on," Zayn teased, pulling him away from the office and towards the front lawn where he could see Niall and Liam.

"Haven't seen you in a while. What's up?" Liam said when they approached.

Louis shrugged. "Aside from Harry's breakthrough with the drug, nothing much. We're still keeping a tight security because of David's threats."

Liam nodded. "Well, the Fort is really—"

"Is that Jaron?" Niall cut in, pointing at the entrance of the mansion.

Louis turned around and sure enough, Jaron was slipping out of the main door and practically running out. Louis frowned, wondering what on earth Harry's old trainer could be doing here.

"Jaron!" Louis called out, causing the man to stop on his tracks and reluctantly face him.

"Hey, Louis." Jaron said unsurely, eyes flitting all over the place.

"What are you doing here? Haven't seen you i a while." Louis said curiously.

"Yeah. Last I remember you kind of disappeared from the Fort." Niall said.

Jaron was acting unusual, for sure. Usually, this tall man moved and talked with a certain aura of certainty and confidence. But now, he looked beyond uncomfortable as he stood before them, body suspiciously restless and tense.

"I was just assisting the Master Healers with some stuff." Jaron said, his hand slipping into his pocket. "I'll go now, uh, I'm kind of in a hurry."

Before he could turn away, Louis grabbed his wrist and sair firmly, "Jaron, what are you really doing here?"

At that moment, several robed men and women—the Master Healers—walked out of the mansion, accompanied by Benedict and Emily. To Louis' nervousness, Harry was nowhere in sight.

"Get out of here while you can," was all Jaron said before he took off running, leaving them stunned and frozen in their places.


	44. Chapter 44

Harry slowly loosened up and gained some confidence the longer the discussion went on. Emily stood by his side as they explained to the Master Healers the drug they'd created, one that was proven to take a number of days to take effect. 

Ashely and Carl spoke for themselves when they described the transformation, their bits of memories during their time as beasts, and how everything felt and changed after the drug was put into their system. The five Master Healers were silent all throughout but seemed to be very attentive listeners, taking notes and nodding along as they went. Benedict was standing by the door, watching passively as they spoke. Harry still didn't know how to act around Benedict after their conversation at the cemetery, he didn't really know what to say since a part of him did want to forgive him, but another just didn't want to bother with the man at all.

Eventually, the discussion came to an end and the Master Healers stood up to approach him. Each of them shook his hand, gave a few words, and then were off on their way.

"What happens now?" Harry whispered to Emily.

She smiled at him and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "They'll study the drug and discuss it amongst themselves. They'll get back to you soon."

Harry nodded, sighing in relief. He watched as the robed people left the room as led by Benedict, hoping that Louis would burst into the room and hold him. 

"I'll be on my way then, Harry." Emily said as she gave him a hug. "You did great."

Harry tightened his hold around her and smiled. "Thank you so much."

Pulling away, she gave him a final small wave before walking out of the office as well. Harry was about to follow outside when a hand on his shoulder suddenly stopped him, nearly making him jump out of his skin.

"Holy—" Harry startled, spinning around to face the person.

Apparently, it was one of the Master Healers. This one was a tall man, the lower half of his face obscured by a grey mask so that the only thing Harry could somewhat see was his eyes which were hidden by the shadow of his hood.

"Can I speak with you privately, Harry?" The man said. His voice was a bit odd—perhaps a bit too high?—but Harry didn't think much of it.

Harry glanced towards the door, but Benedict, Emily, and the other Healers had already gone. With a tight smile, Harry just nodded and followed the robed man when he was led to one of the practice rooms. When they were inside, the man firmly closed the door behind him.

"So, what is it?" Harry asked, standing still as the Healer walked towards him.

"I must say I'm very impressed with this cure. Many have attempted this, but none have ever worked. You truly have the talent." He said, voice a bit deeper than it sounded earlier.

"Oh, well. I had a lot of help and—" Harry said, stopping abruptly when the man reached out to take his hand and turn it around in his own.

"Talented, indeed. Intelligent. Youthful." The man said, voice nearing a whisper.

Harry couldn't help the shiver that ran down his spine—there was something about this man's voice and words that just unsettled him. Only now did he realize that he should've at least brought Emily with him here. Or even Benedict.

"Well, t-thank you." Harry stammered, pulling his hand away from the man's grip.

For a moment, the man just looked down at him while Harry uncomfortably squirmed in his spot, wanting nothing more than to get out of the room and find Louis. 

"What inspired you to find a cure for these beasts, Harry?" He asked suddenly.

Harry fish-mouthed for a bit, and then said, "They're people too. Right now they're being brutally murdered, and I just knew that wasn't right. Now, if all things went well, every beast can be turned back to their human forms. They deserve to live—and I want to give that to them."

The man nodded as he began walking around Harry, eyes still trained on him. "Such a…moral thing to say. If I were to be completely honest, though, I think it would be better if we simply continued the operations we have concerning the beasts right now. Because sometimes…these beasts are just monsters, you know? Good for nothing but destruction and savagery. Don't you think it's somewhat unfair that these beasts would simply be forgiven for the injuries and deaths they've caused? Like salt in the wound of the victims and their families to reward them, in a way, and cure them?"

"They're not in full control of their bodies when they're beasts. You yourself heard that from Ashley and Carl themselves. That's why there's a cure—to stop any more future deaths caused by beasts." Harry said firmly, eyes narrowed.

To his surprise, the man chuckled. Goosebumps suddenly appeared on his skin—that laugh was far too familiar. 

"Do you know what I think? I'd like to keep things as they are so that I could kill every single one of those beasts myself. I've been doing it for years. People love and adore me for slaying those things, and I'm very very good at it. You see—your cure would be bad for my business, I'm afraid." He said, his voice slowly becoming clearer and more distinguishable.

Harry's breath hitched, eyes widening. Swallowing, he looked the man in the eye while his heart thudded against his chest.

"Besides," the man continued, casually beginning to remove his robes, "you'll be too busy as my Omega to hold all these meetings with these old, smelly healers. And, you won't have your family's support for it either. Not after I'm done with them."

Harry was bolting towards the door before he even finished talking, but the man was quick to grab his wrist and slam him into the wall, the back of his head colliding painfully with the concrete. Harry hissed in pain, eyes watering as he looked up and saw the pair of eyes that had filled his nightmares, that malicious smirk that would always haunt his thoughts.

"Let me g—!" Harry began thrashing around against him, but he covered Harry's mouth with his hand, effectively muffling his yells.

"Oh, I missed you too, my Omega." David said, finally revealing his face staring down at Harry with those dark eyes glinting with malice.

Harry's heart thudded viciously in his chest, eyes wide in horror and dread. He trembled where David had his hands on him, breath coming in short and chest heaving hysterically. David just watched him with those predatory eyes while Harry squirmed beneath him with blazing, teary eyes.

"Oh, shh princess. I did tell you I was coming back to take what's mine, didn't I? And unlike your father, I'm a man of my words. And unfortunately for them, I plan to keep my promise to them—that they'd regret ever fucking with me." David sneered, his hand now gripping Harry's jaw painfully.

Harry gritted his teeth and stared up at the man with all the rage he was feeling, trying his best not to let his fear show. David began kissing him hard, trapping his body between the wall and David's bulky body that Harry could barely breathe. Harry felt something flare in his gut, and just as David's disgusting, filthy tongue forced itself into his mouth, Harry bit down hard enough to draw blood. David yelled in pain, and Harry took that opportunity to push him off of him and swing a hard punch in his face.

"You little—!" David groaned as he tried to regain his balance.

Harry was already on the move, grabbing the nearest weapon he could find which were hung on the walls of the practice room. He ended up with a wooden spear, and without missing a beat, Harry swung it at David, hitting his legs purposefully and causing him to topple down to the ground.

Swiftly, he grabbed a dagger laid out on one of the long tables and jumped on top of David, pressing the blade against his neck. David panted beneath him, teeth gritted as he looked up at Harry.

"What are you planning? You are not going to hurt them, do you understand me?" Harry said, voice steely cold and dangerous, albeit shaky.

David's strained laugh vibrated beneath him. "Oh, sweetheart. It's coming, and you sweet little Omega can never stop it. I'll have to comfort you and pet you while you grieve when we're done here."

Harry pushed the blade deeper, effectively stilling David. His voice was still hard and filled with rage when he said, "Oh, if there's anyone to grieve, it will be your non-existent family and friends, you piece of fuck."

"Harry!"

There was pounding on the door, and Harry could feel his facade slipping ever so slightly as he recognized Louis' voice. He tried to focus on David and keep the man's arms pinned under his knees so that he wouldn't be able to move, but David was just looking at him in amusement.

"You really think you're going to win this, don't you?" David said, voice dangerously calm.

"I know so."

"I always get what I want, and my enemies always get what they deserve." 

After a few more forceful, insistent blows on the door, it finally swung open and slammed into the wall, causing bits of debris and dust to rain down. Louis was running towards him at an instant, and Harry made the single mistake of looking up to meet his gaze.

David suddenly leaned forward and spun them around so that Harry was now on the ground on his back while David hovered over him. After David harshly slammed his hand against the floor, the dagger escaped his grip and was now in David's hand.

"Let him fucking go," Louis said, stopping a few feet before them, holding his hand out.

Louis swallowed hard, trying his best to calculate their next move. He kept his other hand resting on the hilt of his sword, ready to whip it out as soon as he needed to. With rage-filled eyes and trembling hands, Louis watched as David stood up and pulled Harry along with him, holding him so that Harry's back was pressed against his chest while he pressed a dagger against Harry's neck. Harry was staring at Louis with well-hidden fear, but Louis could still see it, and it made his chest feel heavier and his balled fists tighter the longer they stood there.

"David, I will give you one chance to end this madness, or this won't end good for you." Benedict spoke up, standing beside Louis.

Niall, Liam, and Zayn were standing there as well, weapons already drawn, their faces murderous. Harry took a shallow, shaky breath, squeezing his eyes shut when he felt David press the blade deeper into his skin, the cold metal nearly piercing into it.

"Ah, my old friend Benedict. We meet again." David said through gritted teeth as he glowered. "Care to be more specific about your little threat there? I can't say you can ruin my life any more than you already have. I mean—after stripping me off of my name and title, stealing my wealth and my men, and destroying my reputation to the world—what more could you possibly do?"

"You deserved it all." Louis spat venomously. "All of it, and more. If it were up to me, I would've had you thrown into jail for the rest of your life. Maybe even executed."

David laughed humourlessly. "Well, too bad that it weren't up to you. Because now, we play by my rules. And according to my rules—none of you are going to make it out of here alive."

As if on cue, the ground rumbled precariously, followed by a gust of heat from behind them. Louis was thrown forward by the force, sending him onto the ground with a sharp ringing sound echoing in his ears. Suddenly, Louis couldn't see clearly—whether it was from the smoke or his unsteady and blurry vision, he wasn't sure. There were distant screams and yells, loud thumps and collisions that echoed through the halls, but most especially—there was heat. Unbearable, searing heat.

"Get up! Get the fuck up!" Someone was yelling in his ear as he was being forced onto his feet.

"The mansion's going down!" Another voice yelled through another explosion.

Louis didn't know what was happening until a few moments later when he'd regained most of his senses. They were running—or, Zayn wa practically dragging him along—and everywhere Louis looked there was nothing but rubble, smoke, and fire. Ceilings and walls were caving in, the smoke was rising up and filling every space and gap there was. 

"Where's Harry?!" Louis yelled, frantically looking around, but there was no sign of him or David.

"Outside with David, we have to stop him!" Zayn yelled into his ear.

They stumbled around as the ground continued to quake, trying to desperately aiming for any exit they could find. Benedict led the way, his mouth opening and moving but Louis couldn't make out the words that were coming out. He practically leaned on Zayn to steer him in the right direction while his mind flew to a single person—his Omega, his boy. 

David had him and he was going to take him away, but not before he murdered every single one of them who'd stand in his way. 

But not if Louis stopped him first.


	45. Chapter 45

Harry's eyes burned as he watched the mansion burn down and collapse right in front of him—the only place he'd ever known as his home, and somewhere inside Louis and the others were still fighting to get out.

David seemed to have planned everything—as soon as the first explosion went off earlier, he'd thrown Harry over his shoulder and jumped out of an open window in the practice room. Right now they were standing in the gardens by the fountain, close enough to witness the building slowly deteriorating and turning into ashes and rubble, but far enough to be safe from its effects.

Harry fell onto his knees, body racking with sobs as he watched it all fall down and burn—Louis, Niall, Zayn, Liam, and Benedict hadn't come out yet. He could only hope that they found a way out behind or somewhere else, and that they were escaping now. 

What used to be the glorious Winter mansion was barely recognizable, dark smoke billowing up and fire licking up into the sky. David's malicious laugh sounded behind him, his dark eyes glinting with amusement and victory.

Harry balled his hands into fists. David yanked him by the hair onto his feet so that he was staring down at him. Harry pressed his mouth in a thin line, flinching away as David wiped the pad of his thumb over his tear-stained cheeks.

"Shh, don't cry. We're leaving now. We're going home." David whispered.

"I'm already home." Harry hissed. "And the only place you're going is hell."

David only smirked and pulled him by the arm, leading him across the lawn and towards a car he could see in the distance. Harry struggled against him, eyes scanning the place for any weapon he could use as his heartbeat picked up.

"Stop trying, Omega. It's over. You're mine and we're going home." David said firmly, irritation evident in his voice.

"You think you've won," Harry bit out, pulling back against his grip to slow down their pace, "but you're wrong. You're wrong because I'm going to kill you, I promise you that."

David didn't even respond, but judging by the smile on his face, it was obvious that he didn't believe Harry. Which Harry could use to his advantage until he finally does slit his throat and watch those dark eyes darken even more while his body stilled for good.

"Get in," David said, shoving him into the passenger's seat. 

Harry frantically looked back at the burning mansion, but there was still no sign of them. Tears threatened to fall again, but he held them back, because deep down he knew they were alive.

David started the engine, and then he was driving through the gates. Harry's mind whirred with ideas of escape and panic. David hadn't tied him up, but by the speed David was driving at, jumping out of the car wouldn't be such a great idea.

"Stop thinking, there's no escape." David said airily, his right hand leaving the wheel to touch his thigh. Harry didn't move. "Just imagine the future we'll have back in Dilania. My men will come to serve me again, people will know what it's like to have me as an enemy everytime they look at the rubble that's left of the Winter mansion. Your cure drug will never make it out to the world without you, and more and more people will still require my services to eradicate those filthy beasts they way I see fit. While I'm busy all over the world as a knight, you'll be at home, caring for the children we'll have. A boy, in particular, who will carry my name and continue my legacy. Isn't that the ideal life, Harry?"

Harry merely clenched his jaw and looked out the window, catching swirls of green and brown, the sky darkening overhead. One glance at the side mirror caused him to freeze. He nearly missed it—but there was a car speeding down behind them, a very familiar car with an even more familiar driver.

Trying to hide the fact that they were being followed from David, Harry suddenly grabbed his hand which was resting on his thigh. David looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Y-you're right," Harry stammered, silently praying that David would keep his focus entirely on him. "It is the ideal life. I just—I wish you didn't have to hurt my family. I would've come with you—really."

David glowered. "They deserved it after what they'd done to me. But that's all in the past now. We'll start anew, you don't even have to think about them. I promise you you'll forget about them as soon as we arrive at the kingdom. You'll have such a good life you'll regret all those years you've spent in this garbage city."

Harry's eyes flitted to the side mirror again. The car was getting closer. Swallowing hard, Harry asked, "are we going there now? To Dilania?"

David nodded, a pleased smile appearing on his face. "Yes. We'll take a ship on the way there."

"Right. Uh, can I ever come back here?" Harry blurted out, just wanting to continue distracting him.

David glared at him, voice cold when he said, "No. You belong to me, which means your home is now Dilania. Don't be fucking stupid."

From the corner of his eyes, he could see the car nearing. Before he could continue his distraction, though, David's eyes widened as he finally caught sight of the vehicle at their tail.

"Fucking hell," David spat, eyes turning murderous again as he looked behind them. "You're family's fucking hard to kill, you know that?"

Harry could only watch as David picked up his speed and zipped past trees and houses. When Harry looked back behind them, Louis' car was slowly disappearing from view.

"I'll have to deal with them some other way. Not today, but soon. And their deaths would be much more interesting than the merciful explosion they would've gotten if they weren't so stubborn." David sneered.

Harry's balled fists trembled when he bit out, "How about your death, then?"

David glanced at him. "The fuck are you talking about?"

"How do you think your death will be like?" Harry whispered, voice chillingly cold.

Before David could even think of a response, Harry jumped over the console and grabbed the wheel, nudging David out of the seat to slow the car down. David was yelling, but Harry continued to turn the wheel so that the car was now swerving around in the lane, precariously nearing the edge of the road. Harry aimed the car to the side, yelling in pain when David slapped him across the face.

"Get the fuck off!" David yelled, elbowing Harry hard so that he'd fall back into his seat.

Harry took the blows and ignored the pain, though, determined to crash this goddamned car. Grunting, Harry swung his fist back and punched David square in the face, giving him a few seconds to grab the wheel again and drive them straight into a tree.

The impact was definitely deadly. The last thing Harry remembered was the sound of a loud crash, shards of glass raining over them, and a powerful blow that knocked the breath out of him that turned everything black.

*

Louis tightly gripped the wheel, eyes set on only one destination: at Harry's side.

He couldn't care less about his numerous wounds and his bleeding forehead at the moment. They'd made it out of the mansion a few seconds before it completely collapsed, and Louis had immediately caught sight of a speeding car—one he knew David and Harry were in. It wasn't exactly smart to drive while his head pounded and his vision spun, but he had to catch up with David. All five of them were still shaken from the explosion, but they'd all wordlessly climbed into the car and raced after Harry. 

Right now, though, Louis watched in horror as the car in front of them swerved precariously from side to side. 

"What's happening?" Naill leaned forward from the backseat.

"They're going to crash," Louis said in baited breath, his grip on the steering while tightening even more so that his knuckles turned white.

"I think that's what he's trying to do." Liam said from behind.

"Speed up! We need to get him out of there as soon as we can," Zayn urged.

Louis pressed his foot against the pedal, coming closer and closer to the swerving car. Suddenly, it turned sharply and sped up straight into a cluster of trees, the loud crash echoing through the open space.

Louis cursed and pulled over, jumping out of the car before it had even stopped moving. He dashed through the tall grass and towards the car which was now smoking, puffs of grey smoke escaping the crushed hood. 

"Harry," Louis panted, stopping right beside the car. Inside, he could see Harry slumped over the headboard, a terrifying amount of blood pooling around him. Louis could only pray that it wasn't all Harry's.

Louis tried pulling the door open, but it was stuck from the collision. Louis' heartbeat picked up when he inhaled a whiff of gas from somewhere, probably beneath the car.

"Louis! Where is he?" Zayn said as he appeared beside him.

"Can't get him out," Louis said shakily, still trying to pull the door open with all the strength he could muster.

"We'll try the other side!" He heard Liam yell.

Louis unsheathed his sword and slammed its hilt against the car window, grunting when it wouldn't give in. Zayn did the same and helped him, finally ridding the window of the glass after several blows. Louis reached in inside and carefully turned Harry's head so that he could see his face. The entire left side of his head was covered in blood, skin filled with scars and wounds. Louis physically ached from seeing Harry like this, so he forced himself to look away and moved to the backseat door and tried opening it too.

"We opened this side!" Niall shouted, his head popping up.

Louis was running to the other side at an instant. Liam and Benedict were dragging David's unconscious body from the driver's seat. As much as Louis wanted to finish David off then and there, his desire to wrap Harry around his arms was stronger.

As soon as the driver's seat was cleared, Louis crawled inside and carefully wrapped his arms around Harry's torso, mumbling incoherently into his ear as he dragged him over the console and out of the car. He swung Harry's legs over his right arm and wrapped his other arm beneath his back, carrying him bridal style away from the car.

Louis laid Harry down on the grass, barely aware of the other four men at surrounding them. Louis shakily checked for Harry's pulse—letting out a breath of relief when he felt it.

"We have to bring him to the hospital," Benedict said, pushing the curls out of Harry's face.

"I'll call the ambulance, I don't think anyone of us is fit to drive much." Niall said urgently before jogging away towards their car on the road.

Louis watched Harry's face for any sign of movement. He looked peaceful like this, long lashes casting shadows on his skin, mouth parting slightly for every small puff of breath, if it weren't for the numerous gashes that filled his skin and his blood-matted hair and face. Louis ripped a portion of his T-shirt and carefully wrapped it around the top of Harry's head to somewhat stop the bleeding. He met Benedict's eyes for a second when the man began helping him.

"He's going to be fine." Benedict said, though it sounded more like he was speaking to himself.

"What do we do with him?" Liam asked from behind them.

Louis looked over his shoulder to find Liam and Zayn standing over David's limp body. 

"Tie him up. We'll deal with him later." Louis said through gritted teeth.

Zayn gave him a single nod before walking past them, mumbling something about finding a rope. Liam eventually followed Zayn, but not before giving Louis' shoulder a comforting squeeze and telling him that it was all going to be fine.

Then, it was just the three of them. Louis glanced at Benedict who had a soft expression on his face as he looked down at his unconscious son. Louis knew Harry was still having trouble believing Benedict's words or accepting his apologies, but from what Louis had seen these past few weeks and what he was seeing now—Benedict's usually dull, emotionless eyes now filled with some warmth so closely related to love—he knew that Benedict had meant what he'd told Harry, and that he was changing for him.

"He loves you too, you know." Louis said quietly, eyes trained on Harry, though his words were for the man in front of him. "He always cared for you. No matter how ruthless you were towards him, he did see you as a father. He still does."

Benedict smiled wryly. "And I see him as my son. I'll do whatever it takes to make up for all I've done before. No matter the cost."

Suddenly, Harry's eyes snapped open. He looked around looking disoriented and panicked, but Louis was at his side immediately, taking his hand.

"Haz, hey. It's okay. It's us, you're fine." Louis said, smiling despite his watery eyes.

"L-lou?" Harry looked up at him, eyes glassy and hopeful.

"Yes. It's me." Louis breathed, carefully pulling Harry into an embrace. "Fuck, I got so scared. I love you so much, Harry. You're okay now, we're together."

Louis squeezed his eyes shut when he felt Harry's shoulders shake, and then Harry was sobbing into his chest. "I love y-you too. So much."

Louis held him close for what felt like hours, slowly rocking back and forth. He whispered sweet nothings into his curls and rubbed his back, pressed soft, feather-like kisses on his skin. Harry just held on tight to him, their bodies fitting perfectly, warmth enveloping them both. 

When Louis looked up, he found Benedict silently watching them, a small smile on his face. They shared a knowing look, a look that coveyed how both of them loved the boy in his arms and how they were both grateful for the other being in Harry's life despite all that had happened. 

Benedict gave him a single nod before standing up and turning to leave. Louis frowned when the man suddenly froze, stopping dead on his tracks. Louis followed his gaze and felt a chill run down his spine when he realized what had happened—David had disappeared.

"Harry, we have to get up," Louis said urgently, eyes scanning the area. 

Harry did as told, holding onto Louis to keep his balance. His face was blotchy from crying and looked confused when said, "What's happening?"

"Let's get to the car," Benedict said beside them, walking over to Harry's other side and gently pushing him forward.

As soon as they turned around, the three stopped moving. David was standing in front of them with a gun pointed at them, face still bloody, though his eyes were blazing with rage.

"I don't think so," David said, slowly walking towards them. "Turn around and walk into the forest."

Louis gritted his teeth while Benedict watched the man with faux calmness and a calculating gaze. When they didn't move, David pointed the gun in Louis' direction and made a show of placing his finger on the trigger.

"I said," David said slowly, "turn around and walk."

Louis kept eye contact with equal fury, but then Harry was urging him to move. Louis looked at the boy, but instead of finding fear, he saw determination and courage.

"Let's go, Lou." Harry whispered. He looked at Benedict for a moment, and then they were turning around and walking into the woods with David close behind, gun still pointed behind Louis' head.

The sky continued to grow darker as they went deeper into the forest. The trees grew taller and narrower, their canopy of leaves growing thicker overhead. The only sound for a few minutes were the crunching leaves and twigs beneath their shoes and the gently ruffle of the leaves when a gust of wind rushed past them.

"Stop." David said.

They stopped in their tracks and turned around to face him. David had that smug look on his face again, one Louis wanted to erase from his face forever.

"Remove your weapons. All of it." David ordered.

After a second of hesitation, they did as told. Louis threw his sword on the ground, while Benedict got rid of his knife. Harry just stood there, and anyone could've missed the concealed glint of burning rage in his eyes, but not Louis.

David nodded in satisfaction. Suddenly, his arm shot out and grabbed Harry, holding him firmly at his side. Louis took a single step forward withr gritted teeth, but Benedict held him back with a cautious shake of his head.

"Now, let's play a game." David said, running the head of the gun over Harry's jaw and cheek. "Would you like that, my Omega?"

Harry didn't respond. He was staring at Louis with such intensity, and Louis stared back. It was like they were speaking telepathically—talking about how they were going to end this man and finally get out of this place.

David didn't seem to be waiting for a response anyway, because he simply smiled menacingly at the two men before him and pointed his gun at each of them, switching between the two of them.

"I want you to choose, Harry." David said cheerfully. "I'll let one of them live. You choose who. Simple."

Harry's jaw clenched. David continued talking, pointing the gun at both of them. "It's not even that fun of a game, is it? I think we both know you don't like your father so much. I don't think anyone does. But alas, here we are."

When Harry refused to talk, David grabbed the hair at the back of his head and pulled, forcing him to look him in the eye. "Answer me, or they both die. I'll shoot them both."

Harry swallowed, stumbling back when David let go of him. He subtly eyed Louis' sword on the ground. As tempted as he was to leap and grab it, he wouldn't be fast enough and David would've shot both Louis and Benedict before he got his hands on it.

"Five..." David began, pointing the gun at Louis.

Harry's eyes flicked to the side when he caught a small movement somewhere behind the trees. Could it be Niall and the others?

"Four." David said, turning to point the gun at Benedict this time.

Again, there was a movement. A quick flash of black—and then a quiet snarl. Harry's breath hitched. When David wasn't looking, Harry turned his head ever so slightly and there, he caught sight of a gigantic beast, one that was watching them carefully.

"Three."

Harry stared at its eyes—this one had hazel ones. He remembered the first time he'd looked into the eyes of a beast and discovered how very human they were, and this beast's eyes weren't different at all. Harry knew that somewhere deep down, the person's consciousness was still there, waiting for an opportunity to show. Harry had always felt a connection with beasts, something he could never explain, but he never did anything about it before. Now, though, it was worth a shot.

"Two…"

Harry looked—as in really looked into the beast's eyes. He could tell that it was listening, in a way, as it intently stared back. The beast had gone completely still, although it was taut like a string ready to snap at a moment's notice. Harry curled and uncurled his fist slowly, watching as the beast's eyes followed his movement. Harry knew this was a huge risk and that even he himself couldn't understand what he was doing just yet, but deep down, a part of him knew it was going to work, and so he believed.

"One." David's voice dropped an octave and then he was ready to pull the trigger at Louis.

"Wait!" Harry said, hand shaking slightly as he held it out to stop him. "I've d-decided who I'd rather die."

David raised an eyebrow, smiling wickedly. "Then who is it, my Omega?"

Harry gritted his teeth, vision turning red. "You."

Harry curled his hand into a fist, and looked over his shoulder to the beast, hoping against all odds that this would work. He didn't have to hope for too long, though, because just then the large beast was charging through the bushes and running towards them, large fangs bared, eyes murderous. Harry only had time to jump out of the way before the beast was launching itself through the air and at David.

Harry heard was a single gunshot and the most ear-pleasing sound he'd ever heard in his life—David's screams and yells of terror and pain. Louis was grabbing him by the shoulder and steering him away, but Harry stayed where he was, watching as the beast devoured the man whole—blood pooling on the grass, while the sound of ripping flesh and the monstrous growls of the beast evaded in the forest.

It didn't take long until David's screams died out, until his body stopped moving and flopping around. The beast slowly stepped away from the pile of blood and meat, turning around to look at Harry. He felt Louis and Benedict tense beside him, but Harry stepped forward until he was right in front of the beast.

The beast's hazel eyes were calmly looking into his. Harry slowly raised his hand and ran his fingers through its blood-stained fur. The beast merely watched him, and he felt it relax beneath his touch.

"Thank you." Harry whispered.

The beast looked at him one more time before running off and leaving behind what was left of David.

He felt hands on his shoulders, and then Louis' lips was on his, fervent and urgent and just beautiful. Harry threw his arms around his neck and pulled him close, groaning when Louis pulled at his hair.

"It's over now," Harry panted when they broke apart, resting their foreheads together. "It's over."

Louis didn't say anything and just kissed him again, kissed him like it was the last time they'll ever kiss, or maybe like it was their very first. Harry didn't know much at that moment, but all he knew was that he never wanted that moment to end.


	46. Epilogue

The sun always shone perfectly through the windows, most especially outside where it covered the plants in a warm blanket of sunlight. It was also always perfectly peaceful here—away from the loud and endless activities of the city, comforted simply by the soft ruffling of leaves on the trees that surround them. Every morning, birds would chirp peacefully, and sometimes their neighbor—a sweet old woman who had around twenty cats—would bring them apple pie and milk for breakfast.

Louis woke up before his alarm today. It had been a few years straight ever since when he began waking up to Harry sleeping soundly at his side, and it was something he didn't think he'd be able to give up for anything. Careful not to jostle him awake, Louis scooted closer to his boy and draped his arm over Harry's waist, watching the slight flutter of his thick eyelashes and the small movements of his puffy, slightly parted cherry lips. Over the years, Harry had grown his hair out, and now it brushed the top of his shoulders. Louis absolutely loved it. He began twirling a single strand around his finger and gently brushed a few stray curls from his face. Smiling to himself, Louis leaned in to leave a kiss on his lips, eyes lighting up in amusement when Harry chased after his lips after he'd pulled away even though he was still asleep.

Not wanting to spend the rest of the day admiring Harry's beauty (that tended to happen quite a lot) Louis forced himself out of the bed and tiptoed out of their bedroom. He unlocked his phone, and just on time, Niall's caller ID appeared on the screen.

He picked up. "Hey, where are you?"

"At the door," Niall said a bit breathily, "open up, I'm carrying some stuff and I don't want to wake Harry. He's still asleep, right?"

"Yeah," Louis said as he strode across the living room and opened the door as quietly as he could.

Niall and Liam were standing there, looking quite glum despite the early hour. Well, perhaps the ungodly time was the issue here. Louis ushered them inside, taking note of the boxes they were carrying.

"More deliveries will be coming later," Liam told him as he set down what looked like a cake box on top of the coffee table.

Meanwhile, Niall began opening the box he was carrying after unceremoniously dropping it on the floor, revealing a messy jumble of colorful decorations.

"Let's start," Niall said seriously.

While the two of them moved around, Louis grabbed a small party hat from the box. "What's this? Looks like you stole it from a six-year-old kid's party with the theme of Barney."

Liam chuckled while Niall glared at him and grabbed the paper hat from his hand. "We need all the decorations we could get."

With an exasperated but fond sigh, Louis began helping them with the decor, having to shush them every five seconds unless they wanted to wake Harry up and have him walk into a half-finished mess of a surprise.

They'd finished most of the decorations about an hour later when Zayn and Perrie finally arrived. They both carried heavy bags of food and drinks and began laying them out on the kitchen counter. Louis stood in the middle of the living room, inspecting the large "Happy Birthday!" poster Liam and Niall were hanging on the wall, which Louis was pretty sure was also used a few months back for his birthday.

"A little to the left," Louis instructed, nodding in satisfaction when Liam pulled it a bit. "Good. Tape it up now."

Louis was fixing up the speakers when someone's phone began ringing ridiculously loud. Louis' eyes widened, watching as everyone began patting their pockets and pulling out their phones to see if it was theirs.

"Someone turn that off!" Louis whisper-shouted.

"It's not ours!" Zayn whispered back.

Louis' face turned red when realization dawned at him. He pulled his phone from his back pocket and turned off the alarm. "Oops. Uh, that was mine."

All he got in return were very unamused looks. Smiling sheepishly, Louis tiptoed towards their room and slowly pushed the door open. Harry was still asleep on his front, face half-burried in his pillow. Louis glanced outside, they were almost done with the preparations anyway so he thought Harry should get ready now.

"Baby," Louis said softly, rubbing his hand up and down his arm. "Time to get up."

Harry mumbled incoherently into his pillow, rubbing his face into it like a cat. Louis rolled his eyes fondly before gently shaking him and pushing him over so that he was on his back now. "We're, uh, going somewhere. You need to shower and get dressed."

Harry snapped one eye open, immediately smiling when it landed on Louis. "G'morning, Lou."

"Good morning, Haz. Now, will you get up?" Louis said.

Harry groaned tiredly but sat up, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hands. "Yeah, sure. Where are we going?"

Louis just smiled at him. "A surprise. Want me to run a bath for you?"

"Yes, please." Harry said, beaming up at him.

He looked ridiculously adorable like this, with his hair a tangled mess and his eyes bright. Louis kissed his stupid dimples before standing up and heading to the bathroom.

"Lou?"

"Yes, baby?"

"I love you." Harry said sweetly, having the audacity to blush.

Louis bit his lip before surging foward and snogging him quite suddenly that Harry let out a squeak of surprise. Harry pulled away, though, grimacing.

"My breath stinks, at least let me brush my teeth first." Harry said, slightly amused.

Louis laughed. "Brilliant idea. But for the record, I'd still kiss you with morning breath. I always do."

Harry gave him that bashful smile again, and then Louis readied the bath for him. While Harry was busy in the bathroom, Louis slipped out of their room and out the living room where a considerable amount of people had arrived and were now lounging around.

It only took a few more minutes for even more people to arrive, making it a bit hard to move around the place. Their home wasn't exactly big, it was the kind of cozy that Harry always spoke about, which was why they'd bought it, plus the peaceful location. Still, everyone seemed to be dealing just fine. 

Louis closed the lights and they all just stood there, waiting for Harry to finally come out. Nearly ten full minutes passed before the door finally swung open.

"Lou? It's so dark, why—"

As soon as Harry turned on the lights, there was a burst of cheers, an explosion of confetti, and a greeting of something halfway between "Happy Birthday!" and "Surprise!". Louis internally face-palmed but just shook his head with a laugh.

Harry's hair was still wet, but he looked glorious as always. He was wearing a pair of impossibly tight skinny jeans and a simple pink floral button-up. Louis watched as his entire face lit up when people began approaching him to give him hugs and greet him.

Through the years, Harry and Louis had made a lot of new friends. Most of the people here owed Harry their lives—they'd been cured by Harry's drug a few years back when the Master Healers were able to replicate his drug with his assistance, of course. Especially Ashely and Carl, who'd been the first people they'd ever cured. The two would visit them nearly every week just to hang out, and Louis would be lying if he said he didn't think of them as family now. Benedict, being the Head Commander of the city, had ordered the Forts to capture the beasts instead of killing them and avoid any form of harm towards them. It took them a good while to get used to their new job, but eventually, it all paid off.

The Forts were used as a cure center for the beasts. Louis and Harry had spent most of their time there, overlooking the entire thing and ensuring that everything was going fine. Gradually, the beast count lowered, and more people were reunited with their families and friends. Killing beasts became illegal, and saving them became everyone's mission.

All because of Harry.

Louis loved him more than anything, and just when he thought he couldn't love him more, he was proven wrong again and again. Watching Harry standing there, surrounded by people who adored and looked up to him made Louis' heart swell with pride. The way Harry would always become bashful and dismiss it kindly when people acknowledged how much of a hero he was, the way he'd always drag Louis' name and Emily's name into the conversation and tell the people that he couldn't have done it without them made Louis realize just how lucky he was to be here with him, to call Harry his. 

Eventually, Harry had managed to escape the crowd and walked towards him, eyes alight with that dimpled smile and—Louis just fell in love all over again.

"Hm, you woke up early just to organize all this." Harry said, wrapping his arms around Louis' neck. "That's definitely a sacrifice."

Louis laughed. "You're right. Only you can make me do such a sacrifice."

Harry kissed him sweetly, turning to bury his face in his neck afterwards. "Thank you. I appreciate it very much, Lou."

Louis wrapped his arms around his waist and breathed his scent in—home. "You deserve it. This and so much more."

"Oi, care to share Harry with us for a bit?" Zayn said, appearing beside him with Perrie by his side.

Harry and Louis broke apart, and then Harry was rushing over to pull Perrie into a bone-crushing hug.

"Happy birthday, sweetie!" Perrie said, giggling as she hugged him back.

"Thanks for this," Harry said before turning to Zayn and embracing him too.

"I cooked that bowl of pasta myself. Learned to do so just for this occasion." Perrie said smugly.

"Yes, she did." Zayn said, looking over to her and taking her hand in his and intertwining their fingers.

Louis thought he saw something glint between their hands, and then Harry was gasping. He took their joined hands and raised it up to get a closer look.

"Is this…?" Harry began, pointing at a very obvious diamond ring on Perrie's ring finger.

Zayn and Perrie exchanged a look before shrugging. Perrie smiled and said, "Well, Zayn kind of proposed to me last night."

Louis eyes' widened, guffawing in disbelief. He hugged Zayn and patted his back firmly. "Congratulations, man. Wow."

Harry was practically bouncing on his feet, eyes wide with wonder as he hugged Perrie again. "That's—wow! Best birthday gift ever, if I'm honest."

They laughed. Perrie and Harry began talking about the engagement, and then Zayn was whispering in his ear, "How about you, mate? When are you planning on it?"

Louis smiled ruefuly. Harry had just turned nineteen and Louis was twenty-two. Though Louis was certain that it would be Harry he'd spend the rest of his life with, he didn't want to rush him. Not if he didn't want to yet.

"Soon, I guess." Louis said, huffing out a breath. "I'm just waiting for the right time."

Zayn smiled, squeezing his shoulder. "I'll have to fight Niall and Liam for this, but I want to be the best man. I said it first, so it has to be me."

Louis laughed, shaking his head. "Shouldn't we be talking about your wedding? When is it going to be?"

Zayn shrugged, looking over at Perrie with an easy smile on his face. "We haven't discussed the details yet, but it's happening."

"Hey, Louis!"

He turned to find Aaron barging towards them, wearing a wide smile. Louis met him halfway and hugged him quickly.

"Haven't seen you in a while," Louis said. Usually, Aaron was always at the Fort, but they hadn't crossed paths until now.

"Yeah, pretty much." He said, then turned to Harry and gave him a hug too. "The birthday boy!"

Harry giggled into his shoulder and pulled away, slotting into Louis' side like he was drawn in with a magnet. 

"I'm actually with someone, and I'd like to introduce you to him." Aaron said.

Harry and Louis looked at each other before saying at the same time, "Who?"

Aaron disappeared into the crowd for a bit, reappearing soon with another man in tow. Louis' eyes widened when he realized who it was—it was Aren McCarter, Aaron's twin.

"Hi there," Aren said, shaking their hands. "Been quite some time, hasn't it?"

Louis watched as realization dawned on Harry. Several emotions flashed across his face—curiosity, confusion, surprise, then he was tearing up a bit.

"I—Aren?" Harry said in disbelief, looking into those blue eyes he remembered from years ago when he'd been attacked at the markets by this very man, though he wasn't a man back then.

"Yes," Aren said, smiling shakily. "I, uh, owe you a lot. You and Louis and just—thank you. It's been really tough and, you know, Aaron had to abandon his work for a bit to help me recover. I won't be here today if not for you. Thank you."

A tear escaped Harry's eyes which he quickly wiped off with the back of his hand. "You're very welcome. I'm—I'm so happy you're fine now."

"It's been quite a journey, and if it wasn't for your cure I—I mean, just, thank you. Really. If there's anything at all I could do to repay—" Aren began.

"It's alright, mate." Louis said, patting his back and looking at Aaron who looked like he was at the verge of tears as well.

"Well then," Aaron said, throwing an arm over his twin's shoulder, "enjoy your party, Harry. Don't let us hold you back."

Harry reassured them that it was fine and continued talking with them, while Louis looked out the window and found someone outside. He told Harry he'd be back before walking through the crowd and walking out the door. There, leaning against his car stood Benedict, looking out into the forest.

"Why don't you come in?" Louis said as he approached.

Benedict smiled down at his feet. "Too many people."

Louis stood beside him and copied his position, leaning back against the side of the car. Recently, Louis had noticed how Harry and Benedict seemed to be getting along more now. Although, he sensed Benedict's caution for his every move and word, no doubt afraid to ruin the somewhat fragile relationship he'd slowly built with his son.

"How are the Forts going?" Louis asked.

"The usual. A few more beasts being found here and there." Benedict said. After a pause, he continued, "It's never been this peaceful before. It almost feels…wrong, in a way, that there are no battles and death. Which is the way it's really supposed to be. I guess you forget what it's like eventually, after getting used to that hell of a world we used to live in."

Louis nodded thoughtfully. "You must be really proud of Harry, then?"

A smile blossomed on his face. "Of course. I've been a lot of things in my life, but I've never been this proud. It's a different feeling, having a son like him. Something so priceless."

"You should tell him that, then." Louis said. 

Before Benedict could respond, Harry appeared by the door, looking quite surprised to find Benedict there.

"Happy birthday, son." Benedict said, walking over to hug him.

Louis smiled to himself, watching Benedict kiss the side of his head. Harry was beaming up at him.

"I thought you were busy," Harry said curiously.

"Work schedules could be arranged." Benedict said.

Louis wrapped an arm over Harry's shoulder, which the boy leaned into. They watched as Benedict retrieved something from his car, revealing a small rectangular red box.

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"A gift," Benedict said, a shred on nervousness in his voice. "For you."

Harry smiled as he accepted the gift and opened it. Inside was a necklace—one with a small seashell pendant. Harry's expressions turned to awe in mere seconds.

"This…this looks just like what belonged to Mom before. The one where she'd kept the Lilian seeds." Harry said.

Benedict nodded. "I gave her that necklace before on our vacation at a beach. It was—it was the night you were conceived and we celebrated. We were both very happy that night."

Harry was crying again for the second time and it wasn't even noon yet. Louis tightened his hold around him, smiling as Harry stepped forward and threw his arms around Benedict's neck, burying his face in his chest. Benedict looked caught off guard and absolutely bewildered, as though he thought this was all a dream. Louis just raised an eyebrow at him and nodded at him once before Benedict wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and hugged him back.

Maybe his path to forgiveness was a long one, but from what Louis could tell, he was already halfway there.

*

After the party, it was just the two of them. Louis meant no shade towards their visitors, but he liked this more.

The place was a mess—red cups littered every possible surface, boxes of pizza and various finger food lay half-eaten on top of counters, decorations barely hanging onto the walls. Yet, Harry and Louis decided to add to the mess by tossing each other's clothes onto the ground and throwing the boxes of gifts off the couch so that they could comfortably make use of its space.

Harry was on Louis' lap, caught up in a very heated make-out session. Louis loved running his hands up and down Harry's body—it was always beautifully soft and curved yet hard and strong in the right places. He also loved Harry's magnificent hair, of course, and Harry loved it when he pulled at it too.

"Bed," Harry gasped against his lips, face flushed and pupils blown, "please."

Louis was quick to oblige, standing up and letting Harry wrap his legs around his waist as he carried the Omega across the room. Harry giggled into his mouth when Louis nearly fell over after tripping over a box.

Finally, they were settled on the bed with Harry sprawled on his back and Louis hovering over him. Louis would never get tired of this—making love with Harry was just something out of this world. It was something Louis knew he'd never be able to find anywhere else.

"Please Lou," Harry gasped, squirming beneath him as Louis sucked bruises down neck and collarbones.

"Please what baby?" Louis panted.

"Fuck me," Harry moaned, rocking his hips against Louis'.

Louis grunted as a wave of arousal hit him hard. He had to tear his gaze away from Harry's body—all shiny with sweat, red from heat and beautifully inviting and pliant—as he reached for a bottle of lube and a packet of condom from the bedside table.

He returned between Harry's legs and began slowly opening him up, Harry's moans and grunts going straight to his cock. He kissed Harry's abused mouth and sucked his bottom lip but kept his fingers inside him, revelling in the beautiful sounds Harry was making and swallowing them all as he pressed their mouths together.

"'M ready," Harry panted into his mouth.

"Ready for me, baby?" Louis said breathily, moving around to get into position.

"Yeah," Harry said blissfully, eyes squeezed shut. "Ready for you to claim me,"

Louis froze, eyes widening. He looked down at Harry who opened his eyes. Harry took his face into his hands and pulled him down for a sweet, gentle kiss.

"Wha—Are you sure, Harry?" Louis said, barely hearing his voice over his thumping heart.

"Don't you want to?" Harry said quietly, voice fragile. He looked heartbroken, as though there was any chance that Louis didn't want this.

Louis wanted nothing but to claim Harry the moment he first said I love you. Everyday, he dreamed at arriving to that day when he could finally share a bond with Harry that strong—a bond to bound them for life, a bond not even marriage could give. This was Louis' dream, but he'd never initiated it because Harry had only been sixteen when they fell in love. He wanted to take things slow for Harry's sake and told himself that it was fine, because it really was. He was willing to wait for Harry no matter how long, but a part of him also wanted to claim his Omega, wanted to get close to him in the most intimate possible way.

"God, of course I want to. It's all I've ever wanted," Louis said softly, tucking a curl behind his ear, "but I don't want to rush you."

"You're not rushing me. You never do, Louis. I want this, I promise. And if you say you want it too, I don't know what's stopping us." Harry said softly, looking up at him with so much trust and love. Louis felt like melting.

"I—what made you suddenly want this?" Louis asked, just to be sure. He didn't want to do this just because it had been in the heat of the moment for Harry. He'd never forgive himself if he didn't make sure that Harry was really certain.

"Zayn and Perrie," Harry whispered, eyes bright and beautiful as he looked up at him, "They're engaged, and I thought about us. I realized that we can have something more than marriage—you can claim me, Louis. I'll be yours and you'll be mine. We can have babies and we can grow old together—and this is the first step towards that. I've always wanted it, Lou. I just realized that this time, I'm actually ready for it. All of it."

Louis didn't realize he was crying until a tear dropped down Harry's face. Louis pressed his lips together, body and chest feeling warm all over, his heart threatening to explode in his chest.

"Fuck—you're all I want, Harry. All I want and all I'll ever need for the rest of my life. There's no doubt in me about you, I know it's you. It's only you and—I love you so much, Harry."

"And I love you," Harry whispered.

Louis kissed him—really kissed him, feeling the softness of his lips, the warmth of his tongue, the love and passion in every single movement, telling himself over and over again that this was happening and it was real and—he loved Harry so much.

Louis carefully slid in, groaning when heat enveloped him, swallowing Harry's beautiful moans. Harry wrapped his legs around his waist and pulled him close, eyes rolling to the back of his head as Louis snapped his hips forward, lost in the heat, pleasure, love, and just HarryHarryHarry. Louis kissed him as he thrusted inside him, Harry wrapping his arms around his neck to pull him even closer.

Louis shifted around, lifting Harry's left leg over his shoulder. The new position gave him a better angle. He snapped and rolled his hips against Harry, stomach tightening when Harry's head fell back with a moan, revealing his throat.

Louis surged down and kissed his neck, looking Harry straight in the eye. Harry smiled at him, nodding his head ever so slightly. It was all Louis needed. He latched onto the side of Harry's neck and bit down hard breaking the skin there, emotions taking over him as he thought about what this entailed—they were bound together, bonded as Alpha and Omega, practically a single person. Harry keened and moaned high and loud as his body shook, coming with a shout of Louis' name.

Louis pulled away and stared at his mark on Harry's neck, something even better than wedding rings—a tie that would keep them together spiritually. It took Louis a few more thrusts before he was coming as well, biting lightly on Harry's shoulder, chanting an endless string of I love you's as he released.

Louis collapsed on top of Harry, his face slotting into Harry's neck. After a few moments, Louis turned them so that they were lying on their sides. Harry looked well-fucked and tired, a dopey grin on his face.

"You okay there?" Louis asked with a chuckle as he caressed his cheek.

"Never been better." Harry said softly before kissing him.

This kiss was soft and sloppy and tired but Louis loved it all the same. He wrapped his arms around Harry's body and pulled him close, tracing the mark he'd given Harry on his neck.

"I love you, Lou." Harry said groggily, nuzzling into his chest.

"I love you, Harry. Now and always." Louis whispered back, smiling as he pulled Harry flush against him, feeling warm and satisfied and happy.

That night, the two boys fell asleep to the rhythm of their own heartbeats which now beat as one—as it would forever.

The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys have no idea how happy i am to finally finish this fic. I've been trying to write for so long now, fanfics and original works, but I always lost motivation and never finished anything. That's why it was such a surprise to me when I actually finished this lol. 
> 
> Hope it was okay!! My main motivation for writing this is Omega!Harry because let's be honest here, there's not enough omega harry fics out there! I got tired of looking and decided to write my own lol. Anyway, this was fun to write and I hope it was fun to read too.
> 
> Thanks for reading! ❤


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